saltation

/sɔlˈteɪʃən/
noun
  1. The act of jumping, leaping, or dancing.
    • The children's saltation in the meadow looked like a joyful celebration.
    • In biology class, we learned about saltation as a form of movement in some insects.
    • The ballet performance was full of graceful saltation across the stage.
  2. A sudden change or mutation, especially in genetics or evolution.
    • A saltation in the gene caused the flower to produce a completely different color.
    • Some theories of evolution emphasize gradual change rather than saltation.
    • The scientist studied saltation in plants to understand how new species arise suddenly.
  3. The movement of sand or soil particles by wind or water in short jumps.
    • Geologists measure saltation to understand how dunes form over time.
    • During the sandstorm, saltation carried grains of sand across the desert floor.
    • The process of saltation helps explain how riverbeds change shape.
Antonyms