dioecious

American  

[dahy-ee-shuhs] / daɪˈi ʃəs /

Or diecious

adjective

Biology.

1. (especially of plants) having the male and female organs in separate and distinct individuals; having separate sexes.

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dioecious British  

/ daɪˈɔɪkəs, daɪˈiːʃəs /

adjective

1. (of some plants) having the male and female reproductive organs in separate flowers on separate plants Compare monoecious

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dioecious Scientific  

/ dī-ē′shəs /

1. Having male flowers on one plant and female flowers on another plant of the same species. The holly and asparagus plants are dioecious.

2. Compare monoecious

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dioeciousness
  noun
• dioeciously
  adverb
• dioecism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dioecious

1740–50; < New Latin Dioeci ( a ) a class name ( di- di- ¹ + Greek oikía a house, dwelling, spelling variant of oîkos ) + -ous

Compare meaning

How does dioecious compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• monoecious vs. dioecious

Example Sentences

Dioecious plants, however fertilised, have a great advantage over other plants in their cross-fertilisation being assured.

From Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom by Darwin, Charles

Dioecious; flowers in the form of cones, except the female flowers of Cycas, which consist of a rosette of leaf-like carpels at the apex of the stem.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 7 "Gyantse" to "Hallel" by Various