telegony
A discredited biological theory that a female's offspring can inherit traits from a previous mate. Used in historical or scientific contexts.
Telegony was proposed in the 19th century, but is now discredited.
Compound of 感応 (kan'nō, 'response, reaction') and 遺伝 (iden, 'heredity'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term was likely coined in the context of 19th-century biology.