the missing link
Preserved but no longer current.
A popular term for the hypothetical being that is supposed, according to the theory of evolution, to bridge the gap between man and the anthropoid apes. Haeckel held it to be Pithecanthropus erectus; but scientists are not agreed, either on this or on the number of "missing links" there may be.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the missing link” mean?
A popular term for the hypothetical being that is supposed, according to the theory of evolution, to bridge the gap between man and the anthropoid apes. Haeckel held it to be Pithecanthropus erectus; but scientists are not agreed, either on this or on the number of "missing links" there may be.
Is “the missing link” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.