Definition

The state of a group of organisms that includes all the descendants of a common ancestor, indicating that they all share a single evolutionary lineage.

Example

The concept of monophyly is important in understanding evolutionary relationships among species.

Conversation

I was reading about monophyly in my biology class today.

Oh really? What does that mean exactly?

It refers to a group that includes all descendants from a common ancestor.

That sounds interesting! I love learning about how species are related.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Monophyly → It is formed from "mono-" (meaning single or one) and "phylon" (from Greek, meaning tribe or race). The term refers to a group of organisms that are descended from a common ancestor, thus representing a single lineage.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mono-' meaning 'one' and 'phylon' meaning 'tribe' — this helps you remember that monophyly refers to a single lineage of organisms.

Visually Confused Words