missing link
The term "missing link" originally comes from evolutionary biology but is also widely used metaphorically to describe something essential that fills a gap in knowledge or understanding.
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Definition
C1Evolutionary Biology
(scientific, academic)A hypothetical or discovered fossil that shows traits of both ancestral and descendant species, illustrating evolutionary transitions.
Example
- The discovery of the Archaeopteryx fossil was once considered a missing link between dinosaurs and birds.
B2General
(metaphorical)An essential piece of information or element that completes a sequence or solves a problem.
Example
- The missing link in the investigation was finally found in the suspect's alibi.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "missing link":