%tavi%

n. [ L. atavus an ancestor, fr. avus a grandfather. ] 1. (a) The recurrence, or a tendency to a recurrence, of the original type of a species in the progeny of its varieties; resemblance to remote rather than to near ancestors; reversion to the original form. (b) (Biol.) The recurrence of any peculiarity or disease of an ancestor in a subsequent generation, after an intermission for a generation or two. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now and then there occur cases of what physiologists call atavism, or reversion to an ancestral type of character. J. Fiske [ 1913 Webster ]

2. recurrence of or reversion to a past style, outlook, approach, or manner. [ PJC ]

adj. 1. 1 displaying characteristics of a previous cultural era or of a previous ancestral form; displaying atavism
Syn. -- atavic, throwback(prenominal) [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to the Batavi, an ancient Germanic tribe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to Batavia or Holland; as, a Batavian legion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Batavian Republic, the name given to Holland by the French after its conquest in 1795. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A native or inhabitant of Batavia or Holland. [ R. ] Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., he has wasted. ] (Law) Waste or misapplication of the assets of a deceased person by an executor or an administrator. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. patavinitas, fr. Patavium: cf. F. patavinité ] The use of local or provincial words, as in the peculiar style or diction of Livy, the Roman historian; -- so called from Patavium, now Padua, the place of Livy's nativity. [ 1913 Webster ]