Blastocyst
/ˈblæs.tə.sɪst/noun
An early-stage mammalian embryo consisting of a hollow ball of cells.
Did you know?Blastocyst was coined in modern scientific Greek from blastos (“sprout, bud”) and kystis (“bladder, sac”), so its eerie, almost occult sound is just anatomy wearing a mask.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
blastos
“sprout, bud”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kystis
“bladder, sac”
Late 19th Century
English
blastocyst
“a term coined for an early embryonic stage”
Modern English
English
blastocyst
“an early-stage mammalian embryo”