meiosis

meiosis Definition

meio·sis (mī ō′sis)

noun

the process of two consecutive nuclear divisions in the formation of germ cells in animals and of spores in most plants, by which the number of chromosomes ordinarily is reduced from the diploid, or double, number found in somatic cells to the haploid, or halved, number found in gametes and in spores
litotes

Etymology: ModL < Gr meiōsis < meioun, to make smaller < meiōn, less: see minor

meiosis Related Forms

mei·ot′ic (-ät′ik) adjective mei·ot′i·cally adverb

meiosis Usage Examples

Converse of subject

produce: G Gametes - Mature reproductive cells, sperm or ova in humans produced by meiosis.

Converse of object

undergo: A diploid cell may also undergo meiosis to produce haploid cells, usually four.
call: A special kind of cell division takes place in making germ cells, called meiosis.
term: The process by which the chromosomes divide during the production of egg and sperm cells is termed meiosis.
study: To study meiosis, it is necessary to investigate the consequences to chromosome segregation of altering particular proteins.

Adjective modifier

Modifies a noun

result: Acute exposure of female hamsters to carbendazim ( MBC ) during meiosis results in aneuploid oocytes with subsequent arrest of embryonic cleavage and implantation.

Preposition: in

oocyte: A major proportion of division errors occur during meiosis in the oocytes of older women.
eukaryotes: The initiation, principal components of, and regulation of meiosis in eukaryotes.

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