gynodioecious
|gyn-o-di-e-cious|
/ˌɡaɪnəˈdaɪiʃəs/
female and hermaphrodite coexistence
Etymology
'gynodioecious' originates from modern botanical coinage based on Greek elements, specifically 'gynē' and 'dioikēs', where 'gynē' meant 'woman, female' and 'dioikēs' meant 'of two households' or 'two-dwelling'.
'gynodioecious' was formed in botanical New Latin by combining the combining form 'gyno-' (from Greek 'gynē') with the existing English term 'dioecious' (from Greek 'dioikēs'), and was adopted into English botanical usage in the 19th–20th century.
Initially formed to describe a breeding condition combining 'gyno-' and 'dioecious' (literally 'female + two-households'), it has retained the specific biological meaning 'having female and hermaphrodite individuals' in modern botanical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having both female and hermaphroditic (bisexual) individuals within the same species or population (used of plant breeding systems).
Many alpine species are gynodioecious, with separate female plants and hermaphroditic plants in the same population.
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/16 12:42