epiboly

[ ih-pib-uh-lee ]

noun,plural e·pib·o·lies.Embryology.
  1. the movement and spreading out of cells into sheets of tissue that overlie or surround other groups of cells, especially as in the formation of certain gastrulas.

Origin of epiboly

1
1870–75; <Greek epibolḗ a throwing on, equivalent to epi-epi- + bol- (variant stem of bállein to throw) + noun suffix

Other words from epiboly

  • ep·i·bol·ic [ep-uh-bol-ik], /ˌɛp əˈbɒl ɪk/, adjective

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British Dictionary definitions for epiboly

epiboly

/ (ɪˈpɪbəlɪ) /


nounplural -lies
  1. embryol a process that occurs during gastrulation in vertebrates, in which cells on one side of the blastula grow over and surround the remaining cells and yolk and eventually form the ectoderm

Origin of epiboly

1
C19: from Greek epibolē a laying on, from epiballein to throw on, from epi- + ballein to throw

Derived forms of epiboly

  • epibolic (ˌɛpɪˈbɒlɪk), adjective

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