I bet everyone knows or has seen at least one person who behaves/behaved in this manner.
atavistic (at·a·vis·tic): / at uh VIS tik /
adjective
(1) relating to or displaying a characteristic in an organism that has been absent for several generations, normally caused by a chance recombination of a pair of inherited recessive genes; of or relating to genetic recurrence, reappearance, or reversion
(2) exhibiting atavism; demonstrating ancestral resemblance; of or relating to being a throwback; resembling a more primitive form, as in atavistic architecture or clothing
(3) instinctive; uncivilized; manifesting primitive behavior considered long since suppressed by society
[From ‘atavism.’ Via French atavisme from Latin atavus meaning “ancestor” (literally “beyond a grandfather”), from Latin atta (“father”) + avus (“grandfather”).]
Usage: Racism of any kind is atavistic behavior that should be discouraged.
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I thought it time to cover this one since I use it regularly. visceral (vis·cer·al): / VIS er uhl / adjective (1) proceeding from or characterized by instinct rather than reason and thought; not intellectual; lacking observation (2) dealing with primitive or base emotions; earthy; crude; lacking perception; unrefined (3)…
November 26, 2006
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This is me! puerile (pu·er·ile): / PYOOR il | PYOO er il / adjective (1) childishly silly or foolish; trivial or immature (2) relating to childhood; juvenile [Possibly from or via French puéril, or directly from Latin puerilis meaning "boyish," from Latin puer meaning "boy."] Usage: I asked for your…
January 13, 2007
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Let's start with one of my favorite words... because it's been so applicable to so many people in recent years. troglodyte (trog·lo·dyte): / TROG luh dite / noun (1) a cave dweller, especially prehistoric (2) a person of primitive, brutish, depraved, or brutal character; a savage barbarian (3) a person…
October 28, 2006
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