1. Describing a trait or structure that was originally evolved for one function but has been repurposed for a different function.
Usage: biology, evolutionary theory

1. Past tense of exapt; to repurpose or adapt (a biological trait or structure) from its original function to a new one.
Usage: biology, evolutionary theory

Examples

• Feathers were exapted from their original thermoregulatory function to enable flight in birds.
• The swim bladder in fish was exapted from a lung-like structure used for respiration.
• Human language may have exapted neural systems that originally evolved for other purposes.
• The bones of the reptilian jaw were exapted to form the tiny bones of the mammalian ear.
• Scientists discovered that the gene was exapted for a completely different biological role in this species.