SALTATION
leap, leaping, spring, saltation, bound, bounce
(noun) a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
dancing, dance, terpsichore, saltation
(noun) taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
leap, jump, saltation
(noun) an abrupt transition; “a successful leap from college to the major leagues”
saltation
(noun) (genetics) a mutation that drastically changes the phenotype of an organism or species
saltation
(noun) (geology) the leaping movement of sand or soil particles as they are transported in a fluid medium over an uneven surface
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
saltation (countable and uncountable, plural saltations)
A leap, jump or dance.
Beating or palpitation.
(biology) A sudden change from one generation to the next; a mutation.
Any abrupt transition.
(geology, fluid mechanics) The transport of loose particles by a fluid (such as wind or flowing water).
Anagrams
• atonalist, stational
Source: Wiktionary
Sal*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. saltatio: cf. F. saltation.]
1. A leaping or jumping.
Continued his saltation without pause. Sir W. Scott.
2. Beating or palpitation; as, the saltation of the great artery.
3. (Biol.)
Definition: An abrupt and marked variation in the condition or appearance
of a species; a sudden modification which may give rise to new races.
We greatly suspect that nature does make considerable jumps in the
way of variation now and then, and that these saltations give rise to
some of the gaps which appear to exist in the series of known forms.
Huxley.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition