Langimage
English

amniote

|am-ni-ote|

C1

🇺🇸

/ˈæmniˌoʊt/

🇬🇧

/ˈæmniəʊt/

vertebrate with amnion

Etymology
Etymology Information

'amniote' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'amnion,' where 'amni-' meant 'lamb' or 'bowl' and '-ote' is a suffix used in biology to denote a member of a group.

Historical Evolution

'amnion' transformed into the modern English word 'amniote' through scientific classification terminology.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it referred to the membrane surrounding the embryo, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of a group of vertebrates with this feature.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a member of a clade of tetrapod vertebrates that have an amnion during embryonic development, including reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Amniotes are distinguished by their ability to lay eggs on land or retain fertilized eggs within the mother.

Synonyms

Last updated: 2025/07/18 21:51