reduction division

reduction division

n

(Biology) another name for meiosis

reduc′tion divi`sion

n.

meiosis, esp. the first division in which the chromosome number is reduced.

[1890–95]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

reduction division - (genetics) cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms; the nucleus divides into four nuclei each containing half the chromosome number (leading to gametes in animals and spores in plants) meiosis, miosis genetic science, genetics - the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms anaphase - the stage of meiosis or mitosis when chromosomes move toward opposite ends of the nuclear spindle cell division, cellular division - the process in reproduction and growth by which a cell divides to form daughter cells cytokinesis - organic process consisting of the division of the cytoplasm of a cell following karyokinesis bringing about the separation into two daughter cells karyokinesis - organic process consisting of the division of the nucleus of a cell during mitosis or meiosis metaphase - the second stage of meiosis nondisjunction - meiosis in which there is a failure of paired homologous chromosomes to separate; results in an abnormal number of chromosomes in the daughter cells prophase - the first stage of meiosis segregation - (genetics) the separation of paired alleles during meiosis so that members of each pair of alleles appear in different gametes telophase - the final stage of meiosis when the chromosomes move toward opposite ends of the nuclear spindle