anisogametic
|an-i-so-ga-met-ic|
🇺🇸
/ˌænɪsoʊɡəˈmɛtɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌænɪsəʊɡəˈmɛtɪk/
having unequal gametes
Etymology
'anisogametic' originates from modern scientific coinage ultimately built from Greek: 'anisos' meaning 'unequal' and 'gamos' meaning 'marriage' or 'union', with the adjectival suffix '-etic'.
'anisogametic' was formed in biological terminology from the noun 'anisogamy' (itself from Greek roots) by adding the adjectival suffix '-etic', producing the modern adjective 'anisogametic'.
Initially it meant 'pertaining to anisogamy (the production of unequal gametes)', and it has retained this specialized biological meaning in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of anisogamy: having or involving gametes that differ in size or form (e.g., small motile sperm and larger non-motile eggs).
Many species of algae are anisogametic, producing two differently sized gametes during reproduction.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/13 07:22