Meiosis
/maɪˈoʊsɪs/noun
A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half and produces sex cells.
Did you know?Meiosis comes from Greek meiosis, meaning “a lessening,” from meioun “to make smaller,” a root also behind words like meager and minimize—proof that even biology is built on ancient language magic.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μείωσις (meíōsis)
“a lessening, diminution”
Late Greek
Greek
μειοῦν (meioun)
“to make smaller, diminish”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μείων (meíōn)
“less, smaller”
19th Century
English
meiosis
“a term adopted in biology for the reduction division of cells”
Modern English
English
meiosis
“cell division that halves the chromosome number”