gam·ete (g m  t , g -mt)n. A reproductive cell having the haploid number of chromosomes, especially a mature sperm or egg capable of fusing with a gamete of the opposite sex to produce the fertilized egg. [New Latin gameta, from Greek gamet , wife and gamets, husband, from gamein, to marry, from gamos, marriage; see gem- in Indo-European roots.]ga·met ic (-m t k) adj.ga·met i·cal·ly adv. |
gamete [ˈgæmiːt gəˈmiːt]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) a haploid germ cell, such as a spermatozoon or ovum, that fuses with another germ cell during fertilization
[from New Latin, from Greek gametē wife, from gamos marriage]
gametal , gametic [gəˈmɛtɪk] adj
| gamete (gmt) A cell whose nucleus unites with that of another cell to form a new organism. A gamete contains only a single (haploid) set of chromosomes. Animal egg and sperm cells, the nuclei carried in grains of pollen, and egg cells in plant ovules are all gametes. Also called germ cell, reproductive cell, sex cell. See Note at mitosis. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  gamete - a mature sexual reproductive cell having a single set of unpaired chromosomesgerm cell, reproductive cell, sex cell - a spermatozoon or an ovum; a cell responsible for transmitting DNA to the next generation anisogamete - either of a pair of unlike gametes especially those unlike in size isogamete - either of a pair of conjugating gametes of the same size and structure sperm, sperm cell, spermatozoan, spermatozoon - the male reproductive cell; the male gamete; "a sperm is mostly a nucleus surrounded by little other cellular material" spermatid - an immature gamete produced by a spermatocyte; develops into a spermatozoon oosphere - a gamete; used especially of lower plants antherozoid, spermatozoid - a motile male gamete of a plant such as an alga or fern or gymnosperm |
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