embryo definition | Dictionary.com

em⋅bry⋅o

[em-bree-oh]

noun, plural -os, adjective

–noun

1.	the young of a viviparous animal, esp. of a mammal, in the early stages of development within the womb, in humans up to the end of the second month. Compare fetus.

2.	Botany. the rudimentary plant usually contained in the seed.

3.	any multicellular animal in a developmental stage preceding birth or hatching.

4.	the beginning or rudimentary stage of anything: He charged that the party policy was socialism in embryo.

–adjective

5.	embryonic.

Origin:
1580–90; < ML embryon-, embryo < Gk émbryon, n. use of neut. of émbryos ingrowing, equiv. to em- em- ² + bry- (s. of brýein to swell) + -os adj. suffix

pregnancy
Learn how an anesthesiologist can help you. Visit the Lifeline site.
www.lifelinetomodernmedicine.com

4D Baby Sonograms $83
3 Offices in LA/Santa Ana/Riverside Gender at 15 Weeks. (818) 243-3778

www.sono4d.com

embryo-

a combining form representing embryo in compound words: embryology.

Also, especially before a vowel, embry-.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To embryo

em·bry·o (ěm'brē-ō')

n. pl. em·bry·os

1. An organism in its early stages of development, especially before it has reached a distinctively recognizable form.
2. An organism at any time before full development, birth, or hatching.
3. The fertilized egg of a vertebrate animal following cleavage.
4. In humans, the prefetal product of conception from implantation through the eighth week of development.
1. The fertilized egg of a vertebrate animal following cleavage.
2. In humans, the prefetal product of conception from implantation through the eighth week of development.
Botany The minute, rudimentary plant contained within a seed or an archegonium.
A rudimentary or beginning stage: "To its founding fathers, the European [Economic] Community was the embryo of the United States of Europe" (Economist).

[Medieval Latin embryō, from Greek embruon : en-, in; see en-² + bruein, to be full to bursting.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Embryo

Em"bry*o\, n.; pl. Embryos. [F. embryon, Gr. 'e`mbryon, perh. fr. ? in (akin to L. ? E. in) + ? to be full of, swell with; perh. akin to E. brew.] (Biol.) The first rudiments of an organism, whether animal or plant; as: (a) The young of an animal in the womb, or more specifically, before its parts are developed and it becomes a fetus (see Fetus). (b) The germ of the plant, which is inclosed in the seed and which is developed by germination.

In embryo, in an incipient or undeveloped state; in conception, but not yet executed. "The company little suspected what a noble work I had then in embryo." --Swift.

Embryo

Em"bry*o\, a. Pertaining to an embryo; rudimentary; undeveloped; as, an embryo bud.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

Language Translation for : embryo

Spanish: embrión,

German: der Embryo,

Japanese: 胎児

More Translations »

embryo [(em-bree-oh)]

A developing plant or animal. A plant embryo is an undeveloped plant inside a seed. An animal embryo is the animal as it develops from the single cell of the zygote until birth. Among humans and most other mammals, the embryo is carried in the mother's womb.

Note: The term is occasionally used to denote a new or developing idea or project: “The idea for the complete theory was already present in his work, in embryo form, in 1950.”

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

embryo

c.1350, from M.L. embryo, from Gk. embryon, in Homer, "young animal," later, "fruit of the womb," lit. "that which grows," from en- "in" + bryein "to swell, be full."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

Main Entry: em·bryo
Pronunciation: 'em-brE-"O
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural em·bry·os
1 archaic : a vertebrate at any stage of development prior to birth or hatching
2 : an animal in the early stages of growth and differentiation that are characterized by cleavage,the laying down of fundamental tissues, and the formation of primitive organs and organ systems; especially : the developing human individual from the time of implantation to the end ofthe eighth week after conception —compare FETUS

embryo em·bry·o (ěm'brē-ō')
n. pl. em·bry·os

An organism in its early stages of development, especially before it has reached a distinctively recognizable form.
An organism at any time before full development, birth, or hatching.
The fertilized egg of a vertebrate animal following cleavage.
In humans, the prefetal product of conception from implantation through the eighth week of development.

embryo (ěm'brē-ō') Pronunciation Key

An animal in its earliest stage of development, before all the major body structures are represented. In humans, the embryonic stage lasts through the first eight weeks of pregnancy. In humans, other placental mammals, and other viviparous animals, young born as embryos cannot thrive. In marsupials, the young are born during the embryonic stage and complete their development outside the uterus, attached to a teat within the mother's pouch.
The developing young of an egg-laying animal before hatching.
The sporophyte of a plant in its earliest stages of development, such as the miniature, partially developed plant contained within a seed before germination.

embryonic adjective (ěm'brē-ŏn'ĭk)

Search another word or see embryo on Thesaurus | Reference

Teen Pregnancy
What is the responsible way to prepare and educate our youth?
www.ResponsibilityProject.com

Pregnant? No Insurance?
Plans Available Here. Doctors, Labs & Hospitals
MaternityCard.com

Pregnancy Week to Week
Your Complete Guide to Everything You Will Need For Your Pregnancy

www.FitPregnancy.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Advertise with Us · Link to Us · NASCAR® · Contact Us