embryo

[ em-bree-oh ]
/ ˈɛm briˌoʊ /

noun, plural em·bry·os.

the young of a viviparous animal, especially of a mammal, in the early stages of development within the womb, in humans up to the end of the second month. Compare fetus.
Botany. the rudimentary plant usually contained in the seed.
any multicellular animal in a developmental stage preceding birth or hatching.
the beginning or rudimentary stage of anything: He charged that the party policy was socialism in embryo.

adjective

Origin of embryo

1580–90; < Medieval Latin embryon-, embryo < Greek émbryon, noun use of neuter of émbryos ingrowing, equivalent to em- em-2 + bry- (stem of brýein to swell) + -os adj. suffix

Definition for embryo (2 of 2)

embryo-

a combining form representing embryo in compound words: embryology.
Also especially before a vowel, embry-.

Example sentences from the Web for embryo

British Dictionary definitions for embryo

embryo
/ (ˈɛmbrɪˌəʊ) /

noun plural -bryos

an animal in the early stages of development following cleavage of the zygote and ending at birth or hatching
the human product of conception up to approximately the end of the second month of pregnancy Compare fetus
a plant in the early stages of development: in higher plants, the plumule, cotyledons, and radicle within the seed
an undeveloped or rudimentary state (esp in the phrase in embryo)
something in an early stage of development an embryo of an idea

Derived forms of embryo

embryoid, adjective

Word Origin for embryo

C16: from Late Latin, from Greek embruon, from bruein to swell

Medical definitions for embryo (1 of 2)

embryo
[ ĕmbrē-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.

Medical definitions for embryo (2 of 2)

embryo-

pref.

Embryo:embryogenesis.

Scientific definitions for embryo

embryo
[ ĕmbrē-ō′ ]

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.

Other words from embryo

embryonic adjective (ĕm′brē-ŏnĭk)

Cultural definitions for embryo

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.

notes for embryo

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.”