Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

irreducible complexity

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.67 in modern English

Syllables
ir-re-ducible -com-plex-i-ty
IPA
42
Scrabble Score
21
Letters
7
Syllables
14
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The proposition that complex organs such as eyes and flagella must have started existing in their current form; i.e., that they cannot have evolved from previous, less complex stages.

Uncountable

Etymology

Coined by Michael Behe in his book Darwin's Black Box (1996).

Usage

Phrases

irreducibly complex natural selection

Frequently Paired Words

irreducibly complex creationism evolution natural selection

Questions

What does irreducible complexity mean?
The proposition that complex organs such as eyes and flagella must have started existing in their current form; i.e., that they cannot have evolved from previous, less complex stages.
Where does irreducible complexity come from?
Coined by Michael Behe in his book Darwin's Black Box (1996).

How to pronounce irreducible complexity

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “irreducible complexity”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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  4. Repeat and practice — Say “irreducible complexity” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.