meiosis
Pronunciation: /mʌɪˈəʊsɪs/
Definition of meiosis
noun ( plural meioses /-siːz/)
- 1 Biology a type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell, as in the production of gametes and plant spores: the sporophytes of green algae form spores only by meiosis
Derivatives
Origin:
mid 16th century (in meiosis (sense 2)): modern Latin, from Greek meiōsis, from meioun 'lessen', from meiōn 'less'. meiosis (sense 1) dates from the early 20th century