pachytene

pach·y·tene  (pk-tn)

n.

The third stage of the prophase of meiosis during which the homologous chromosomes become short and thick and divide into four distinct chromatids.

---

[French pachytène : Greek pakhus, thick + French -tène, ribbon (from Latin taenia; see taenia).]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

pachytene - the third stage of the prophase of meiosis prophase - the first stage of meiosis phase, stage - any distinct time period in a sequence of events; "we are in a transitional stage in which many former ideas must be revised or rejected"