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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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌsəʊʃl̩ ˈdɑːwɪnɪz(ə)m/
General-American:/ˌsoʊʃ(ə)l ˈdɑɹwənˌɪzəm/
rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)wɪnɪzəm
1
noun
Meaning 1
The theory that the laws of evolution by natural selection also apply to social structures.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From social (adjective) + Darwinism (noun).
Across languages
Translations
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Cantonese:
社會達爾文主義 /社会达尔文主义
— theory
Chinese Mandarin:
社會達爾文主義 /社会达尔文主义
(shèhuì Dá'ěrwén zhǔyì)
— theory
Czech:
sociální darwinismus
— theory
Dutch:
sociaal darwinisme
— theory
Finnish:
sosiaalidarvinismi
— theory
French:
darwinisme social
— theory
Georgian:
სოციალური დარვინიზმი
(socialuri darvinizmi)
— theory
German:
Sozialdarwinismus
— theory
Greek:
κοινωνικός δαρβινισμός
(koinonikós darvinismós)
— theory
Hebrew:
דרוויניזם חברתי
(darwinízm khevratí)
— theory
Hindi:
सामाजिक तत्त्वज्ञानी
(sāmājik tattvajñānī)
— theory
Hungarian:
szociáldarwinizmus
— theory
Italian:
darwinismo sociale
— theory
Korean:
사회진화론
(sahoejinhwaron)
— theory
Polish:
darwinizm społeczny
— theory
Polish:
socjodarwinizm
— theory
Portuguese:
darwinismo social
— theory
Russian:
социа́льный дарвини́зм
(sociálʹnyj darvinízm)
— theory
