parthenogenesis

noun

: reproduction by development of an unfertilized usually female gamete that occurs especially among lower plants and invertebrate animals

Examples of parthenogenesis 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.
Read more Animals Dinosaurs: Groundbreaking Revelation Settles 30-Year-Old Debate Specialized Dog Breeds Are Not So Special After All Sharks are not the only species known to undergo parthenogenesis; the phenomenon has also been recorded in species of bird, fish, lizard and snake. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025 While asexual reproduction is common among many plants and invertebrates, parthenogenesis, in which an egg develops, is more rare in vertebrates. Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 One hypothesis is parthenogenesis occurs when females lack a male presence, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 In 2023, an epaulette shark was born via parthenogenesis at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago to a female shark that hadn’t been around males in at least four years, McClatchy News reported. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for parthenogenesis 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek parthenos + Latin genesis genesis

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of parthenogenesis was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near parthenogenesis

Cite this Entry

“Parthenogenesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parthenogenesis. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

parthenogenesis

noun
: reproduction especially among lower plants and invertebrates in which a germ cell that has not undergone fertilization develops into a new individual

Medical Definition

parthenogenesis

noun
: reproduction by development of an unfertilized usually female gamete that occurs especially among lower plants and invertebrate animals

More from Merriam-Webster on parthenogenesis

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