acquired character
acquired character, in biology, modification in structure or function acquired by an organism during its life, caused by environmental factors. With respect to higher organisms, there is no evidence that such changes are transmissible genetically—the view associated with Lamarckism—but, among protozoans and bacteria, certain induced changes are heritable.
Citation Information
Article Title:
acquired character
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
31 October 2021
Access Date:
March 14, 2025