meiotic
|mei-o-tic|
🇺🇸
/maɪˈɑːtɪk/
🇬🇧
/maɪˈɒtɪk/
relating to meiosis
Etymology
'meiotic' originates from the Greek word 'meiosis,' where 'meioun' meant 'to lessen' or 'to make smaller.' The suffix '-ic' is used to form adjectives meaning 'pertaining to.'
'Meiosis' was adopted into New Latin as a scientific term, and the adjective 'meiotic' was formed in English in the late 19th or early 20th century to describe things related to meiosis.
Initially, it meant 'pertaining to meiosis,' and this meaning has remained unchanged in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of meiosis, the process of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half.
Meiotic division is essential for sexual reproduction.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/31 17:01