totipotent

[ toh-tip-uh-tuh nt ]
/ toʊˈtɪp ə tənt /

adjective Biology.

(of a cell or part) having the potential for developing in various specialized ways in response to external or internal stimuli.

Origin of totipotent

First recorded in 1895–1900; toti- + potent1

OTHER WORDS FROM totipotent

to·tip·o·ten·cy, noun

Words nearby totipotent

totidem verbis, toting, totipalmate, totipalmation, totipotency, totipotent, totis viribus, totleben, toto caelo, totowa, totsiens

British Dictionary definitions for totipotency

totipotent
/ (təʊˈtɪpətənt) /

adjective

(of an animal cell) capable of differentiation and so forming a new individual, tissue, organ, etc

Derived forms of totipotent

totipotency, noun

Word Origin for totipotent

C20: from Latin tōtus entire + potent 1

Medical definitions for totipotency

totipotency
[ tō-tĭp′ə-tən-sē, tō′tĭ-pōt′n-sē ]

n.

The ability of a cell, such as an egg, to give rise to unlike cells and to develop into or generate a new organism or part.

Other words from totipotency

to•tip′o•tent adj.

Cultural definitions for totipotency

totipotency

The ability of cells such as an embryonic stem cell to differentiate into any type of body cell. Plant cells are also totipotent, which helps to explain why a graft of a plant can generate a whole new individual out of just a small branch cutting.