heteroecism

[ het-uh-ree-siz-uhm ]

noun

, Biology.

1. the development of different stages of a parasitic species on different host plants.

Other Words From

• het·er·oe·cious [het-, uh, -, ree, -sh, uh, s], adjective
• heter·oecious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of heteroecism¹

1870–75; hetero- + Greek oik(ía) “house” + -ism

Example Sentences

This is the only case of heteroecism known in the vegetable kingdom outside the Uredineae.

From Project Gutenberg