Relating to the measurement of relative growth rates of different parts of an organism, where some parts grow faster than others at different stages.
From Greek 'allo-' (other) and 'metric' (relating to measurement). The term was formalized in biology in the early 20th century to describe differential growth patterns.
Allometric growth explains why baby animals look so different from adults—a human baby's head is proportionally huge compared to its body, but as we grow, our limbs catch up, creating that allometric relationship where different body parts have their own growth schedules.
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