neoteny
nee o tuh nee
- n an evolutionary trend to be born earlier so that development is cut off at an earlier stage and juvenile characteristics are retained in adults of the species
- Our fondness for neoteny is both obvious most people find other people with youthful features to be attractive and unsettling.
- Our species wouldn't survive if we weren't suckers for what's called neoteny--features like large eyes, an oversize head and a gumdrop nose that signal babyness.