Science & Tech > Biology > Reproduction

Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.

agamic nonsexual.
agamically (Adv.) AGAMIC, nonsexual.
agamogenesis reproduction by nonsexual means.
agamogenetic reproducing by agamogenesis, reproduction by nonsexual means,
agamogony asexual reproduction in protozoans characterised by multiple fission.
agamous nonsexual.
alecithal of an ovum, having little or no yolk.
allogamy cross-fertilization.
ambisexual of sexual characteristics, common to both sexes, eg pubic hair; (noun) one of indeterminate sex.
ambosexual common to both sexes.
amplexus (Lat.) the rutting of frogs and toads.
anamniote any vertebrate animal, such as a fish or amphibian, that lacks an amnion.
anamniotic of or like an anamniote, any vertebrate aninal, such as a fish or amphibian, that lacks an amnion.
androgenous having only male offspring.
androgyny hermaphroditism.
anestrous relating to anestrus, a period of sexual inactivity between periods of estrus.
anestrum (Lat.) a period of sexual inactivity between periods of oestrus.
anestrus (Lat.) a period of sexual inactivity between periods of oestrus.
anisogamy union between markedly different gametes eg as egg and sperm, as in humans.
anoestrous relating to anoestrus, a period of sexual in activity between periods of oestrus.
anoestrum (Greek) a period of sexual inactivity between periods of oestrus.
anoestrus (Greek) a period of sexual inactivity between periods of oestrus.
anovular not involving ovulation.
anovulation a failure to produce eggs or to discharge them from an ovary.
antenatal before birth (noun) an examination during pregnancy
antenatally (Adv.) ANTENATAL, before birth.
antherozoid a motile male gamete produced in an antheridium.
antherozooid a motile male gamete produced in an antheridium.
antimitotic an agent that inhibits or disrupts mitosis.
antipill opposed to the use of oral contraceptives.
aplanogamete a nonmotile gamete.
apomict an organism reproducing by, or formed by, apomixis, nonsexual reproduction from an unfertilized ovum.
apomictic relating to apomixis, nonsexual reproduction, from an unfertilized ovum.
apomictical relating to apomixis, nonsexual reproduction, from an unfertilized ovum.
apomictically (Adv.) APOMICTICAL, relating to apomixis, nonsexual reproduction, from an unfertilized ovum.
apomixis (Greek) nonsexual reproduction, from an apomict or unfertilized ovum.
archenteric relating to the archenteron; as, archenteric invagination.
archenteron in the developing embryo, the primitive gut.
arrhenotoky giving birth only to boys.
asexual of reproduction, involving only one parent; it usually produces genetically identical offspring.
asexuality the state of being asexual.
asexually (Adv.) ASEXUAL, of reproduction, involving only one parent.
aspermia failure to produce sperm.
asynapsis a failure of the pairing of homologous chromosomes in meiosis.
atokal without offspring.
atoke the sexless part in certain polychaete worms.
atokous without offspring.
autogamic self-fertilizing.
autogamous self-fertilizing.
autogamy self-fertilization.
autogenesis spontaneous generation.
autogenetic relating to autogenesis.
autogenous self-generated.
autogenously (Adv.) AUTOGENOUS, self-generated.
autogeny spontaneous generation.
autosexing (The act of) self-sexing.
begetter one who begets.
binovular relating to or derived from two different ova.
biovular derived from two ova.
biparous bringing forth two offspring at a birth.
birthrate the proportion of live births to population.
blastema the protoplasmic part of an ovum, distinguished from the yolk.
blastemal relating to the blastema, the protoplasmic part of an ovum.
blastematic of or like a blastema.
blastemic of or like a blastema, the protoplasmic part of an ovum.
blastogenic related to blastogenesis, reproduction by budding.
capacitation the change undergone by sperm in the female reproductive tract that enables them to penetrate and fertilize an egg.
childbed (Arch.) the state of a woman giving birth.
childbirth the act of giving birth.
chondrocranium the cartilaginous parts of an embryonic cranium.
chordamesoderm the layer of specialized cells in the middle of a developing embryo which forms the notochord and structures of the central nervous system.
chorial relating to the chorion, the outer foetal envelope.
chorion (Greek) the outer foetal envelope.
chorionic relating to the chorion, the outer foetal envelope.
clon a group of asexually derived organisms.
clonal relating to a clone.
clonally (Adv.) CLONAL, relating to a clone.
clone a group of two or more individuals with identical genetic makeup derived, by asexual reproduction, from a single common parent or ancestor; (verb) to form a clone.
cloner one who clones.
conception the process of becoming pregnant involving fertilization or implantation or both.
conceptional capable of conceiving.
conceptus (Lat.) the products of conception; the developing foetus and surrounding tissue in the uterus.
copulation the act of copulating.
copulatory relating to copulation.
crossbreed to hybridize.
deuterotoky parthenogenesis in which both males and females are produced.
diakinesis the final stage of prophase in meiosis.
dicentric a chromosome having two centromeres.
diestrous in a sexually inactive state following ovulation.
diestrum a period of sexual inactivity.
diestrus a period of sexual inactivity.
digenesis the ability to alternate sexual and asexual means of reproduction.
digoneutic breeding twice a year.
digoneutism the state of being digoneutic, producing offspring twice yearly.
dioecism the condition of being dioecious, having male and female sexual organs in different individuals.
dioestrus a period of sexual inactivity.
ditokous producing two at a birth or in a clutch.
dizygous developed from two fertilized ova.
ectoplasm the outer transparent layer of protoplasm in a developing ovum.
ectoplastic relating to ectoplasm.
emboly the formation of a gastrula by invagination of the blastula.
embryo the entity which develops in a woman's womb until it is born as a baby, esp up to about eight weeks, after which it is known as a foetus.
embryogenesis the production of an embryo.
embryogenetic relating to embryogenesis.
embryogenic relating to embryogeny.
embryogeny the production and development of an embryo.
embryon (Arch.) an embryo.
embryonal of or like an embryo.
embryonic of or like an embryo.
embryonically (Adv.) EMBRYONIC, of or like an embryo.
embryotic of or like an embryo.
embryotically (Adv.) EMBRYOTIC, of or like an embryo.
enwomb to conceive in the womb.
epigamic of or relating to a trait or behavior that attracts a mate eg big antlers.
epigenesis the theory of embryonic development.
epigenesist an adherent of epigenesis, a theory of embryonic development.
epimere in an embryo, the part of the mesoderm that divides to form the dermatome and myotomes.
ergatoid a wingless but sexually perfect worker.
estrous pertaining to estrus, a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals.
estrual pertaining to estrus, a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals.
estrum (Lat.) a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals.
estrus (Lat.) a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals.
exoplasm the outer transparent layer of protoplasm in a developing ovum.
fetal relating to a foetus.
fetiparous of marsupials, such as the kangaroo, giving birth to incompletely developed offspring.
fetus (Lat.) the young animal in the egg or in the womb, after its parts are distinctly formed.
fissiparism the state of being fissiparous.
fissiparity the state of being fissiparous.
fissiparous producing new biological units or individuals by fission, as with most strains of bacteria.
fissiparousness the state of being fissiparous.
foetal relating to a foetus.
foetation the formation of a foetus in the womb.
foetiparous of marsupials, such as the kangaroo, giving birth to incompletely developed offspring.
foetus (Lat.) the young animal in the egg or in the womb, after its parts are distinctly formed.
frogspawn the gelatinous egg mass of a frog.
funiculus (Lat.) the umbilical cord.
gametal of or like a gamete.
gamete a reproductive cell which fuses with another gamete to form a zygote.
gametic of or like a gamete.
gametically (Adv.) GAMETIC, of or like a gamete.
gametocyte a cell that divides to produce gametes.
gametogenesis the formation of gametes.
gametogenic relating to gametogenesis.
gametogenous relating to gametogenesis.
gametogeny the formation and maturation of gametes.
gametophyte the haploid stage in the life cycle of an organism undergoing alternations of generations.
gametophytic of or like a gametophyte.
gamic sexual; sexually produced.
gamogenesis sexual reproduction.
gamogenetic relating to gamogenesis, sexual reproduction.
gamone any chemical substance secreted by a gamete that attracts another gamete during sexual reproduction.
gamotropic relating to gamotropism, the tendency of gametes to attract one another.
gamotropism the tendency of gametes to attract each other.
gastrula (Lat.) an embryo at the stage in which it forms a two-layered cup by the invagination of its wall.
gastrular of or like a gastrula, an embryo at the stage in which it forms a two-layered cup by the invagination of its wall.
geniture begetting, birth.
gestate to carry in the womb.
gestation the process of gestating, bearing in the womb.
gestational relating to gestation, the process of gestating, bearing in the womb.
gestative relating to gestation, the process of gestating, bearing in the womb.
gestatory (Arch.) relating to carrying.
gonium an immature reproductive cell.
gonosome individuals, collectively, in a colonial animal that are involved with reproduction.
gravid pregnant.
gravidity the state of being gravid; pregnancy.
gravidly (Adv.) GRAVID, pregnant.
gravidness the state of being gravid.
gynandrism the state of being gynandrous.
gynogenesis reproduction in which a sperm penetrates an ovum but their nuclei do not fuse, and the embryo develops with maternal chromosomes only.
gynogenetic relating to gynogenesis, reproduction in which a sperm penetrates an ovum but their nuclei do not fuse.
hatch to bring forth young from an egg.
hatcher one who hatches.
heterogametic having a dissimilar pair of sex chromosomes.
heterogonous reproducing both sexually and asexually.
heterogonously (Adv.) HETEROGONOUS, reproducing both sexually and asexually.
heterozygosis the mixed ancestry of heterozygotes.
hologamy the state of having gametes of the same size and form as other cells.
homoblastic derived from similar cells; showing direct embryonic development.
homogamic breeding like with like, inbreeding.
homogenesis a mode of reproduction in which the offspring is like the parent, and passes through the same cycle of existence.
homogenetic homogeneous.
homogenetical homogeneous.
homozygosis the condition of being a homozygote.
homozygote an organism or cell having the same alleles for a particular inherited characteristic.
implacental having no placenta.
imposex the superimposition of male sexual characteristics onto female gastropods, caused by certain pollutants.
impregnation the act of making pregnant.
inbreed to breed closely related stock.
incrossbred a plant or animal produced by crossing two inbred individuals of different breeds.
infecund unfruitful; not producing young.
infecundity the state of being infecund.
intersex an individual developing anatomical characteristics of both sexes.
intersterile incapable of producingoffspring by interbreeding.
issueless having no issue or progeny; childless.
iteroparity the state of being iteroparous.
iteroparous reproducing more than once in a lifetime.
kind disposed to do good to others (noun) a sort or type; (verb, obs.) to beget
lactation the act of suckling young; the period of milk secretion normally following childbirth.
lanugo (Lat.) a woolly down, esp covering the human fetus.
macrogamete the larger and usually female gamete of a heterogamous organism.
megagamete the larger and usually female gamete of a heterogamous organism.
mesenchymal relating to mesenchyme, the embryonic tissue from which circulatory, lymphatic, skeletal, and connective tissue develop.
mesenchymatous relating to mesenchyme, the embryonic tissue from which circulatory, lymphatic, skeletal, and connective tissue develop.
mesenchyme the embryonic tissue from which circulatory, lymphatic, skeletal, and connective tissue develop.
mesoderm the layer of embryonic cells between the ectoderm and the endoderm in a gastrula.
mesogastrium the mesentery supporting the embryonic stomach.
mesonephros the second of the three segments of the embryonic kidney in vertebrates.
metafemale a sterile female organism.
metamale a sterile male organism.
metanephric relating to the metanephros, the third of the three segments of the embryonic kidney in vertebrates.
metanephros the third of the three segments of the embryonic kidney in vertebrates.
metestrous relating to the metestrus, the period in the oestrous cycle following oestrus, characterized by lack of sexual activity.
metestrus the short period following oestrus in many mammals during which sexual activity subsides.
metoestrous relating to the metoestrus, the period in the oestrous cycle following oestrus, characterized by lack of sexual activity.
metoestrus the period in the oestrous cycle following oestrus, characterized by lack of sexual activity.
microgametocyte a gametocyte producing microgametes.
micropylar of or like a micropyle, a micropore in ovum for spermatozoon.
milt the soft roe of a fish (verb) of fish, to impregnate
milty full of milt, the soft roe of a fish.
misbirth (Arch.) an abortion.
monecian having separate male and female flowers on the same plant.
monecious having separate male and female flowers on the same plant.
moneciously (Adv.) MONECIOUS, having separate male and female flowers on the same plant.
monestrous of or related to mammals which experience one estrus (rut or period of heat) in a breeding season.
monoecism the state or condition of being monoecious, having both male and female reproductive organs.
monogenesis the development of an offspring from a parent like itself.
monogenous of or pertaining to monogenesis; as, monogenous, or asexual, reproduction.
monogony asexual reproduction.
monotocous producing only one offspring at any one time; fruiting once only.
monozygotic developed from one zygote only.
monozygous developed from one zygote only.
morulation the process of cleavage, or segmentation, of the ovum, by which a morula is formed.
multigravida a woman pregnant for at least the third time.
multipara a mother of two or more children.
multiparity the state of being a multipara, giving birth to two or more offspring.
multiparous having given birth to multiple children.
myomere part of a vertebrate embryo.
nebenkern (Ger.) a two-stranded helical structure of the proximal tail region of a spermatozoon.
nepionic of or relating to the embryonic period of development.
neurula (Lat.) an embryo at the stage succeeding the gastrula, when the neural tube develops from the neural plate.
neurular of or like a neurula, an embryo at the stage succeeding the gastrula.
neurulation the formation of a neurula.
nidate to undergo nidation.
nidation the process by which the blastocyst becomes attached to the wall of the uterus.
nonparous having not given birth to any offspring.
nonsexual having no distinction of sex.
nullipara (Lat.) a woman with no children.
nulliparity the state of being a nullipara.
octuplet one of eight children born at one birth.
oestrual pertaining to oestrus, a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals.
oestrum (Lat.) a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals.
oestrus (Lat.) a period of sexual excitement and ovulation in animals.
ontogenesis the origin and development of a single individual organism.
oogamete a female gamete.
oogamous relating to oogamy, the union of dissimilar gametes.
oogamously (Adv.) OOGAMOUS, relating to oogamy, the union of dissimilar gametes.
oogamy the fertilization of oogamous gametes.
oogenesis the enlargement and meiosis of an oogonium that produces an ovum.
oogenetic relating to oogenesis, the enlargement and meiosis of an oogonium that produces an ovum.
oogeny the enlargement and meiosis of an oogonium that produces an ovum.
oosperm the ovum, after fusion with the spermatozoon in impregnation.
oosphere a female gamete ready for fertilization.
ootid one of four sections into which an ovum divides.
outreproduce to surpass in reproducing.
oviferous egg-carrying.
oviparity the production of offspring via eggs.
oviparous producing offspring through laying eggs which are incubated outside the body.
oviparously (Adv.) OVIPAROUS, producing offspring through laying eggs which are incubated outside the body.
oviposit to lay or deposit eggs, esp of insects.
oviposition the act of ovipositing.
ovipositional relating to oviposition.
ovisac a brood-pouch; an egg capsule.
ovotestis an organ which produces both ova and spermatozoa.
ovoviviparity the state of being ovoviviparous.
ovoviviparous producing eggs which are hatched in the parent's body.
ovoviviparously (Adv.) OVOVIVIPAROUS, producing eggs which are hatched in the parent's body.
ovular relating or belonging to an ovule.
ovulary relating or belonging to an ovule.
ovulate to produce ova.
ovulation the act of releasing ova from the ovary.
ovulatory relating to ovulation.
ovule the structure inside an ovary which contains a female egg cell.
ovum the female reproductive cell.
pachytene the stage of the prophase of meiosis following zygotene.
paedogenesis reproduction by an infant or larval organism.
paedogenetic relating to paedogenesis, reproduction by an infant or larval organism.
paedogenic of an animal, reproducing in the larval stage.
pangamic relating to pangamy, random mating.
pangamy (Greek) random or unrestricted mating.
panoistic of an ovary, producing ova only, not yolk-forming cells, as opposed to meroistic.
parablast the yolk of an egg, such as a hen's egg, that undergoes meroblastic cleavage.
parablastic like a parablast.
parasexual relating to reproduction that results in recombination of genes from different individuals.
parasexuality the state of being parasexual.
parous bearing or having borne offspring.
parthenogenesis reproduction by a virgin or by means of an unfertilized egg.
parthenogenetic reproducing by parthenogenesis, reproduction by a virgin or by means of an unfertilized egg.
parturiency the condition of being ready to give birth.
parturient about to bring forth young; (noun) one who is about to bring forth young.
parturition the act of giving birth.
patroclinal of animals and plants, showing the characters of the male parent.
patroclinous of animals and plants, showing the characters of the male parent.
perigenesis reproduction (according to the theory of Ernst Haeckel) by transmission not only of chemical material but of vibrations of plastidules.
perinatal relating to the period between the seventh month of pregnancy and the first week of a baby's life.
perinatally (Adv.) PERINATAL, relating to the period between the seventh month of pregnancy and the first week of a baby's life.
planogamete a motile gamete.
pluripara (Lat.) a mother of two or more children.
polytocous producing many or several at a birth.
polyzoic relating to a colony of zooids.
postcopulatory taking place after copulation.
preborn being carried in the womb, unborn.
precopulatory preceding copulation.
preggers (Sl.) pregnant.
preggy (Coll.) pregnant.
pregnance (Obs.) pregnancy.
pregnancy the state of being pregnant.
previable before the stage when a foetus has developed sufficiently to survive outside the womb.
primipara (Lat.) a woman who bears a child for the first time.
primiparity the bearing of one's first child.
procarp a female sexual organ in certain algae.
procreate to engender, beget offspring.
procreation the act of procreating.
procreational relating to procreation.
procreative relating to procreation.
procreator one who procreates.
proembryo a group of cells formed in the dividing zygote, from which part the embryo arises.
proestrus in mammals, the coming on of heat in the oestrus cycle.
progenitive capable of bearing offspring.
progeniture an act or instance of begetting.
puberty the beginning of sexual maturity.
pubescent arrived at puberty.
puerpera (Lat.) a woman who has recently given birth.
quin (Short for) a quintuplet.
quintuplet one of five children born in one birth.
redia (Lat.) a form in the life cycle of the trematodes.
remate to mate again.
replicant in science fiction, an artificially created or cloned biological creature, esp in human form.
reproduction the manufacture of offspring as part of an organism's life cycle This is not the same as dispersal.
schizogenesis reproduction by division.
schizogenetic reproducing, reproduced, or formed by fission or splitting.
schizogenic reproducing, reproduced, or formed by fission or splitting.
schizogonic relating to schizogony.
schizogonous reproducing by multiple fission.
schizogony reproduction by division.
scissiparity reproduction by fission.
self one's own person (verb) to fertilize by the same individual
sell to give up to another for money or other valuable consideration.
semelparity the quality of having a single reproductive season and then dying.
semelparous reproducing or breeding only once in a lifetime, like salmon.
semioviparous bringing forth young in incomplete developmental state.
septuplet one of seven children born together.
sextuplet one of six children born in a multiple birth.
sexualise to render sexual.
sperm a male gamete.
spermatocyte a cell producing spermatozoa.
spermatogenesis the formation of spermatozoa.
spermatozoan a male sex cell.
spermic pertaining to sperm.
sporogony the growth or development of an animal or a zooid from a nonsexual germ.
stillborn a baby dead at birth.
stomatodaeum in embryology, the invagination that forms the anterior part of the digestive tract.
stomodaeal of or like a stomodaeum, in embryology, the invagination that forms the anterior part of the digestive tract.
stomodaeum in embryology, the invagination that forms the anterior part of the digestive tract.
stomodeal relating to the stomodeum, in embryology, the invagination that forms the anterior part of the digestive tract.
stomodeum in embryology, the invagination that forms the anterior part of the digestive tract.
strobilate to undergo strobilation.
strobilation production or reproduction by strobilae, as in jellyfish.
strobilisation production or reproduction by strobilae.
strobilization production or reproduction by strobilae.
superfetate to conceive when a fetus is already in the uterus.
superfetation a second conception when there is already a fetus in the womb.
superfoetation a second conception when there is already a fetus in the womb.
syngamous relating to syngamy, free interbreeding.
syngamy (Greek) the union of two gametes.
syngenesis sexual reproduction.
syngenetic relating to syngenesis, sexual reproduction.
thelytokous producing only female offspring.
thelytoky the parthenogenetic production of females only.
totipotency the state of being totipotent, capable of development into a complete organ or embryo.
totipotent capable of development into a complete organ or embryo.
unbeget not to beget.
uniparous producing only one offspring at birth.
univoltine having one brood a year.
uterogestation gestation in the womb.
viviparism the bringing forth of live young.
viviparous producing live young.
viviparously (Adv.) VIVIPAROUS, producing live young.
viviparousness the state of being viviparous.
voltinism the number of broods typically produced per year by a population of a particular insect species.
xenogamous relating to xenogamy, cross-fertilization.
xenogamy cross-fertilization.
xenogenetic relating to xenogeny, the supposed production of offspring totally different from the parents.
xenogenic relating to xenogeny, the supposed production of offspring totally different from the parents.
xenogeny the supposed production of offspring totally different from the parents.
zoogamete a motile gamete.
zoogamous of or pertaining to zoogamy, sexual reproduction of animals.
zoogamy sexual reproduction of animals.
zoogonous giving birth to live offspring.
zooid an asexually produced organism resembling an animal.
zygose pertaining to zygosis, the union of two gametes.
zygosis (Greek) the union of two gametes.
zygosity the state of being zygose, pertaining to the union of two gametes.