Parthenogenesis

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  parthenogenesis \par`the*no*gen"e*sis\
     (p[aum]r`th[-e]*n[-o]*j[e^]n"[-e]*s[i^]s), n. [Gr. parqe`nos
     a virgin + E. genesis.]
     1. (Biol.) The production of new individuals from virgin
        females by means of ova which have the power of developing
        without the intervention of the male element; the


        production, without fertilization, of cells capable of
        germination. It is one of the phenomena of alternate
        generation. Cf. {Heterogamy}, and {Metagenesis}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) The production of seed without fertilization,
        believed to occur through the nonsexual formation of an
        embryo extraneous to the embryonic vesicle.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  parthenogenesis
       n 1: human conception without fertilization by a man [syn: {parthenogeny},
             {virgin birth}]
       2: process in which an unfertilized egg develops into a new
          individual; common among insects and some other arthropods
          [syn: {parthenogeny}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  22 Moby Thesaurus words for "parthenogenesis":
     abiogenesis, archigenesis, biogenesis, birth, blastogenesis,
     development, digenesis, epigenesis, eumerogenesis, generation,
     genesis, heterogenesis, histogenesis, homogenesis, isogenesis,
     merogenesis, metagenesis, monogenesis, orthogenesis, pangenesis,
     procreation, spontaneous generation