Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Popular Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

sporal

 - 4 dictionary results

spore

  [spawr, spohr] noun, verb, spored, spor⋅ing.
Use sporal in a Sentence
–noun
1. Biology. a walled, single- to many-celled, reproductive body of an organism, capable of giving rise to a new individual either directly or indirectly.
2. a germ, germ cell, seed, or the like.
–verb (used without object)
3. to bear or produce spores.
Origin:
1830–40; < NL spora < Gk sporá sowing, seed, akin to speírein to sow; see sperm 1

Related forms:
sporal, adjective
sporoid, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sporal
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 2spore
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Forms: spored; spor·ing
: to produce or reproduce by spores
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

spore (spôr)
n.

  1. A small, usually single-celled asexual or sexual reproductive body that is highly resistant to desiccation and heat and is capable of growing into a new organism, produced especially by certain bacteria, fungi, algae, and nonflowering plants.

  2. A dormant, nonreproductive body formed by certain bacteria in response to adverse environmental conditions.

spo·ra'ceous (spə-rā'shəs, spô-) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Science Dictionary
spore   (spôr)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. A usually one-celled reproductive body that can grow into a new organism without uniting with another cell. Spores are haploid (having only a single set of chromosomes). Fungi, algae, seedless plants, and certain protozoans reproduce asexually by spores. Plant spores that are dispersed by the wind have walls containing sporopollenin.

  2. See more at alternation of generations.

  3. A similar one-celled body in seed-bearing plants; the macrospore or microspore. The macrospore of seed-bearing plants develops into a female gametophyte or megagametophyte, which is contained within the ovule and eventually produces the egg cells. (The megagametophyte is also called the embryo sac in angiosperms.) The microspore of seed-bearing plants develops into the male microgametophyte or pollen grain. See endospore.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see sporal on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way