blastocyst

noun

blas·​to·​cyst ˈbla-stə-ˌsist How to pronounce blastocyst (audio)
: the modified blastula of a placental mammal having an outer layer composed of the trophoblast

Examples of blastocyst in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rather than actual embryos, the team experimented with stem cells and models of blastocysts called blastoids. Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024 Some mammal species have an ability known as embryonic diapause, in which the development of an embryo can be paused for weeks or even months, keeping the blastocyst from implanting in the uterus. Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024 These include: Would IVF doctors and embryologists be found at fault for the failure of an embryo to grow to the blastocyst stage (as occurs naturally in more than 50% of patients)? Fiorella Valdesolo, Allure, 13 Sep. 2024 Would these cruel judges have three-day-old blastocysts preserved until the end of time, and if so, at whose cost? New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for blastocyst 

Word History

Etymology

blasto- + -cyst

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blastocyst was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near blastocyst

Cite this Entry

“Blastocyst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blastocyst. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

blastocyst

noun
blas·​to·​cyst ˈblas-tə-ˌsist How to pronounce blastocyst (audio)
: the modified blastula of a placental mammal

More from Merriam-Webster on blastocyst

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!