Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A diploid cell from which an egg or ovum develops by meiosis. A primary oocyte divides to produce a polar body and a secondary oocyte, which divides again to produce the ovum and another polar body.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun cytology A cell that develops into an egg or ovum; a female gametocyte.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a female gametocyte that develops into an ovum after two meiotic divisions

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From oo- + -cyte.

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Examples

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  • ~ A cell from which an egg develops.

    ~ The developing female gamete before completion and release.

    ~ The female germ cells in stages between the prophase of the 1st maturation division, and the completion of the 2nd maturation division.

    January 18, 2009