English Explanatory Dictionary

eugenics

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A social philosophy or practice which advocates the improvement of human hereditary qualities through selective breeding, either by encouraging people with superior genetic qualities to reproduce (positive eugenics), or discouraging people with inferior genetic qualities from reproducing (negative eugenics), or by technological means.

Pronunciation

/juːˈd͡ʒɛnɪks/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-eugenics.wav

Word forms

eugenics

Etymology

Coined by Francis Galton in 1883. From ἐΰς (eǘs, “good”) + γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “breeding”), “well-bred”, “good in stock”. Parallel to Eugene. By surface analysis, eugenic + -s.

Related words

human enhancement reprogenetics stirpiculture well-born well-bred

Derived words

antieugenics consumer eugenics Eugene eugenic eugenically eugenicide eugenicist eugenocide eugeny in vitro eugenics liberal eugenics negative eugenics neo-eugenics new eugenics positive eugenics progeny stealth eugenics techno-eugenics
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