totipotent

adjective

to·​ti·​po·​tent tō-ˈti-pə-tənt How to pronounce totipotent (audio)
ˌtō-tə-ˈpō-tᵊnt
: capable of developing into a complete organism or differentiating into any of its cells or tissues
totipotent stem cells

Word History

Etymology

Latin totus whole, entire + English -i- + potent

First Known Use

circa 1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of totipotent was circa 1899

Dictionary Entries Near totipotent

Cite this Entry

“Totipotent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totipotent. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

totipotent

adjective
to·​ti·​po·​tent tō-ˈtip-ət-ənt How to pronounce totipotent (audio)
: capable of developing into a complete organism or differentiating into any of its cells or tissues
totipotent blastomeres
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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