homolecithal
|ho-mo-le-cith-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌhoʊmoʊˈlɛsɪθəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌhɒməʊˈlɛsɪθəl/
uniform yolk distribution
Etymology
'homolecithal' originates from New Latin/Greek, specifically from the Greek elements 'homós' and 'lekíthos', where 'homós' meant 'same' and 'lekíthos' meant 'egg yolk'.
'homolecithal' was formed in Neo-Latin as 'homolecithalis' by combining Greek roots and entered scientific English usage in the late 19th to early 20th century.
Initially it meant 'having uniform yolk distribution'; over time this specific anatomical/embryological definition has remained essentially the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
(noun form) homolecithality — the condition or quality of being homolecithal (i.e., having uniformly distributed yolk).
In studies of early development, researchers often note the homolecithal condition of certain eggs.
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Adjective 1
having the yolk evenly distributed throughout the egg cytoplasm (used of certain animal eggs, e.g. many echinoderms and some amphibians).
Many marine invertebrates produce homolecithal eggs that distribute yolk evenly throughout the cytoplasm.
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Last updated: 2025/08/13 11:53