megaspore

noun

mega·​spore ˈme-gə-ˌspȯr 

: a spore in heterosporous plants giving rise to female gametophytes and usually larger than a microspore

megasporic

ˌme-gə-ˈspȯr-ik 

adjective

Examples of megaspore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The soil samples contained fragments of willow and wood, as well as insect parts, spike moss megaspores, fungi and poppy seeds, Halley Mastro, a graduate research assistant at the University of Vermont and co-author of the paper, told ABC News. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2024

Other fossilized finds include a pinecone-like structure with megaspores and some fossilized tree trunks used to estimate the height of the trees, Wang noted. —Fox News, 9 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

mega- + -spore

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

megaspore

noun

mega·​spore ˈmeg-ə-ˌspō(ə)r 

-ˌspȯ(ə)r

: a plant spore that produces a female gametophyte

Medical Definition

megaspore

noun

mega·​spore ˈmeg-ə-ˌspō(ə)r, -ˌspȯ(ə)r 

1

: a spore in heterosporous plants that gives rise to female gametophytes and is generally larger than a microspore

2

: macrospore

megasporic

ˌmeg-ə-ˈspōr-ik, -ˈspȯr- 

adjective