Definition

Describing something that leads to a decline in the quality of genetic traits in future generations, often by allowing less fit individuals to reproduce.

Example

The researchers warned that certain social policies could have dysgenic effects on the population.

Conversation

Did you read that article about the dysgenic trends in some populations?

Yeah, it was pretty alarming how it discussed the effects on future generations.

I never thought about how societal factors could lead to dysgenic outcomes.

It's definitely something we should be more aware of.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dysgenic → It is formed from "dys-" (meaning bad or difficult) and "genic" (from Greek "genes", meaning born of or produced by). The word "dysgenic" refers to traits or conditions that are considered to be harmful to the genetic quality of a population.

Memory Tip

Think of 'bad' ('dys-') traits that are 'produced' ('genic') in a population — that's why dysgenic refers to harmful genetic conditions.

Visually Confused Words