vicariance

noun

vi·​car·​i·​ance vī-ˈker-ē-ən(t)s How to pronounce vicariance (audio)
və-
: fragmentation of the environment (as by splitting of a tectonic plate) in contrast to dispersal as a factor in promoting biological evolution by division of large populations into isolated subpopulations

called also vicariance biogeography

Examples of vicariance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The first and favored theory is a process called vicariance, which suggests ancestors of Lymanopoda chysquyco were once widely and continuously distributed, perhaps from northern Colombia to southern Ecuador. Lauren Liebhaber july 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vicariance was in 1957

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Cite this Entry

“Vicariance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vicariance. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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