megaspore

[ meg-uh-spawr, -spohr ]
/ ˈmɛg əˌspɔr, -ˌspoʊr /

noun Botany.

the larger of the two kinds of spores characteristically produced by seed plants and a few fern allies, developing into a female gametophyte. Compare microspore.
the embryo sac of a flowering plant.
Also called macrospore.

Origin of megaspore

First recorded in 1885–90; mega- + spore

OTHER WORDS FROM megaspore

meg·a·spor·ic [meg-uh-spawr-ik, -spor-] /ˌmɛg əˈspɔr ɪk, -ˈspɒr-/, adjective

Words nearby megaspore

megarectum, megaris, megaron, megascopic, megasporangium, megaspore, megaspore mother cell, megasporocyte, megasporogenesis, megasporophyll, megass

Example sentences from the Web for megaspore

British Dictionary definitions for megaspore

megaspore
/ (ˈmɛɡəˌspɔː) /

noun

Also called: macrospore the larger of the two types of spore produced by some spore-bearing plants, which develops into the female gametophyte Compare microspore (def. 1)
the cell in flowering plants that gives rise to the embryo sac

Derived forms of megaspore

megasporic, adjective

Scientific definitions for megaspore

megaspore
[ mĕg′ə-spôr ]

One of the two types of haploid spores produced by a heterosporous plant. Megaspores develop into female gametophytes and are usually larger than microspores.