atavistic

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Synonyms for atavistic

adj barbaric, crude

adjective. barbaric, crude

"pertaining to atavism," 1847; see atavism + -ic.

It is only an atavistic phenomenon, the return to a former state.

The criminal is an atavistic being, a relic of a vanished race.

This is of great importance in view of the atavistic origin of crime.

Citizen Howard Temple-Tracy is a dangerous, atavistic, evil genius.

Perhaps it is atavistic—this desire to rest and swing in a hamaca.

Thus there was no progeny to inherit their atavistic tendencies.

Because she was terrified, the same sort of atavistic process was at work in her.

This is a system which is based on the simplest and most atavistic of human emotionsjealousy.

Neither can the atavistic man try to be something for which his nature was not made.

We are an ignorant, atavistic people; and our priests are wondrous moral.