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
Words nearby embryo
embroil,
embrown,
embrue,
embry-,
embryectomy,
embryo,
embryo sac,
embryo transfer,
embryo vitrification,
embryo-,
embryoblast
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, adjectiveWord Origin for embryo
C16: from Late Latin, from Greek
embruon, from
bruein to swell
Medical definitions for embryo (1 of 2)
embryo
[ ĕm′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.
Medical definitions for embryo (2 of 2)
embryo-
pref.
Embryo:embryogenesis.
Scientific definitions for embryo
embryo
[ ĕm′brē-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-ŏn′ĭk)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.”