ovism

O´vism

n.

1.

(Zool.) The old theory that the egg contains the whole embryo of the future organism and the germs of all subsequent offsprings and is merely awakened to activity by the spermatozoön; - opposed to spermism or animalculism.

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ovism

the theory that the female reproductive cell contains the entire organism and that the male cell does not contribute anything, merely initiating the growth of the female cell.

See also: Biology