kin selection

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

kin′ selec′tion, [Biol.]

1. Animal Behavior a form of natural selection that favors altruistic behavior toward close relatives resulting in an increase in the altruistic individual's genetic contribution to the next generation.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

kin selection noun

1. natural selection resulting from altruistic behaviour by animals towards members of the same species, esp their offspring or other relatives