Phrase guide

sexual selection

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A type of natural selection where members of the sexes acquire distinct forms either because the members of one sex choose mates with particular features or because in the competition for mates among the members of one sex only those with certain traits succeed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: evolutionary theory

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Coined by Charles Darwin in his work The Descent of Man (1871).

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 性選擇 /性选择 (sing3 syun2 zaak6) — type of natural selection
  • Chinese Cantonese: 性擇 /性择 — type of natural selection
  • Chinese Mandarin: 性選擇 /性选择 (xìngxuǎnzé) — type of natural selection
  • Chinese Mandarin: 性擇 /性择 (xìngzé) — type of natural selection
  • Czech: pohlavní výběr — type of natural selection
  • Dutch: seksuele selectie — type of natural selection
  • Finnish: sukupuolivalinta — type of natural selection
  • French: sélection sexuelle — type of natural selection
  • German: sexuelle Selektion — type of natural selection
  • German: sexuelle Auswahl — type of natural selection
  • Icelandic: kynbundið val — type of natural selection
  • Latvian: dzimumizlase — type of natural selection
  • Norwegian Bokmål: seksuell seleksjon — type of natural selection
  • Norwegian Bokmål: seksuelt utvalg — type of natural selection
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: seksuell seleksjon — type of natural selection
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: seksuelt utval — type of natural selection
  • Polish: dobór płciowy — type of natural selection
  • Portuguese: seleção sexual — type of natural selection
  • Romanian: selecție sexuală — type of natural selection
  • Russian: полово́й отбо́р (polovój otbór) — type of natural selection
  • Ukrainian: стате́вий до́бі́р (statévyj dóbír) — type of natural selection
  • Ukrainian: стате́вий відбі́р (statévyj vidbír) — type of natural selection