autogamies
|au-to-ga-mies|
/ˌɔːtəˈɡəmi/
(autogamy)
self-fertilization / self-pollination
Etymology
'autogamy' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'autos' meaning 'self' and 'gamos' meaning 'marriage; union'.
'autogamy' came into scientific English via New Latin 'autogamia' (and Medieval/Modern Latin usage) from the Greek compound; it entered English as the modern technical term 'autogamy'.
Initially built from elements meaning 'self-marriage' (the literal Greek sense), it came to be used in biology to mean 'self-fertilization' or 'self-pollination'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'autogamy'; instances of autogamy — self-fertilization or self-pollination, i.e., fertilization that occurs within the same individual organism or flower.
In small, isolated populations, autogamies can ensure reproduction when pollinators are scarce.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/25 12:54