anisogynous
|a-ni-so-gy-nous|
🇺🇸
/ˌænɪˈsɑːdʒənəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌænɪˈsɒdʒɪnəs/
different-sized gametes
Etymology
'anisogynous' originates from Greek elements: 'anisos' meaning 'unequal' and 'gynē' meaning 'woman' or 'female', combined in New Latin/biological coinage to describe unequal gametes.
'anisogynous' developed from the term 'anisogamy' (Greek 'anisos' + 'gamos' meaning 'marriage' or 'union'); biological usage in the late 19th to early 20th century produced the adjectival form 'anisogynous'.
The roots originally meant 'unequal' and 'female', but the modern term came to mean 'having or relating to unequal-sized gametes' in reproductive biology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or characterized by anisogamy; having gametes of unequal size (typically small, motile sperm and large, non-motile eggs).
Many multicellular species are anisogynous, producing distinct small sperm and large eggs.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/13 08:51