preformation
(prē′fôr mā′s̸hən)
noun
- previous formation
- Biol. a former theory that every germ cell contains every part of the future organism in miniature, development being merely growth in size
See preformation in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun- The act of shaping or forming in advance; prior formation.
- A theory popular in the 18th century that all parts of an organism exist completely formed in the germ cell and develop only by increasing in size.