centrolecithal
|cen-tro-le-cith-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌsɛntrəˈlɛsɪθəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌsentrəʊˈlɛsɪθəl/
yolk concentrated in center
Etymology
'centrolecithal' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'centrolecithalis', where 'centro-' meant 'center' and 'lekithos' (the Greek root behind 'lecithal') meant 'egg yolk'.
'centrolecithal' changed from the Greek roots 'kentron' (center) and 'lekithos' (egg yolk) into New Latin 'centrolecithalis' and then into modern scientific English 'centrolecithal'.
Initially, it meant 'having the yolk in the center of the egg', and this meaning has remained stable in modern scientific usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
describing an egg in which the yolk is concentrated in the center (a term used in embryology/zoology).
Many insects have centrolecithal eggs, in which the yolk is concentrated at the center.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/18 02:25