Relict

Relict

The term relict is used to refer to surviving remnants of natural phenomena. Compare relic which is used to refer to human artifacts or remains.
* In biology a relict is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now occurs at only one or a few small areas. The distribution of a relict is characterized as endemic. The tuatara is an example of a relict. It now lives only on a few small islands off New Zealand. The term "relict" can also refer to an ancient species that survives while related species go extinct. The horseshoe crab is an example of this type of relict. Horseshoe crabs are most closely related to the eurypterids, which disappeared in the Permian-Triassic extinction event.
* In ecology, an ecosystem which originally ranged over a large expanse, but is now narrowly confined, may be termed a "relict".
* In geology, the term "relict" refers to structures or minerals from a parent rock that did not undergo metamorphosis when the surrounding rock did, or to rock that survived a destructive geologic process. For example, the wavy patterns often seen in marble are relicts of layering in the original limestone.
* In Historical linguistics, a "relict" is a word that is a survival of a form or forms that are otherwise archaic.
* A relict was also an ancient term for a widow, but has come to be a generic or collective term for widows and widowers.

ee also

*relic
*living fossil


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  • relict — relíct adj. n., s. n., f. relíctă; pl. n. şi f. relícte Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar ortografic  RELÍC//T relicttă (relictţi, relictte) şi substantival : Specie relicttă specie de plante sau de animale care s a menţinut până… …   Dicționar Român

  • Relict — Rel ict ( ?kt), n. [L. relicta, fr. of relictus, p. p. of relinquere to leave behind. See {Relinquish}.] A woman whose husband is dead; a widow. [1913 Webster] Eli dying without issue, Jacob was obliged by law to marry his relict, and so to raise …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • relict — relict. См. реликт. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • relict — widow, mid 15c., from M.L. relicta widow, noun use of fem. of relictus abandoned, left behind, properly pp. of L. relinquere to leave behind (see RELINQUISH (Cf. relinquish)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • relict — ► NOUN 1) an organism or other thing which has survived from an earlier period. 2) archaic a widow. ORIGIN from Latin relictus left behind …   English terms dictionary

  • relict — [ri likt′; ] for n. [ rel′ikt] adj. [L relictus, pp. of relinquere: see RELINQUISH] Archaic surviving the death of another; esp., widowed n. 1. [LL relicta < L relictus] Archaic a widowa widow 2. [< the adj.] a) …   English World dictionary

  • relict — 1. noun /ˈrɛlɪkt/ a) The surviving member of a married couple after one or the other has died; a widow or widower But I am not the penniless nonentity I was when we first met; I can offer an honorable if not a brilliant marriage; and at the very… …   Wiktionary

  • relict — I. noun Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle English relicte, from Late Latin relicta, from Latin, feminine of relictus, past participle of relinquere; in senses 2 & 3, from relict residual, adjective, from Latin relictus Date: 15th century 1.… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • relict — reliktai statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Augalų ir gyvūnų rūšys, išlikusios nedidelėje teritorijoje ir nebeturinčios ryšio su pagrindiniu savo rūšies arealu. atitikmenys: angl. relict; relict species vok. Relikt, n;… …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • relict — reliktai statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Iki šių laikų išlikusios praėjusių geologinių epochų augalų ir gyvūnų rūšys. Yra kurios nors teritorijos dabartinės augalijos ir gyvūnijos dalis, nors praeityje turėjo daug didesnį… …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

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