oocyte

American  

[oh-uh-sahyt] / ˈoʊ əˌsaɪt /

noun

Cell Biology.

1. an immature egg cell of the animal ovary; in humans, one oocyte matures during the menstrual cycle, becoming an ootid and then an ovum, while several others partially mature and then disintegrate.

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oocyte British  

/ ˈəʊəˌsaɪt /

noun

1. an immature female germ cell that gives rise to an ovum after two meiotic divisions

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oocyte Scientific  

/ ō′ə-sīt′ /

1. A diploid cell that undergoes meiosis to form eggs.

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Etymology

Origin of oocyte

First recorded in 1890–95; oo- + -cyte

Compare meaning

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

• oocyte vs. ovum

Example Sentences

The idea of maturing oocytes in the ovary to produce offspring has been implemented in various ways.

From Science Daily

While SAS1B is found inside female reproductive cells called oocytes, it is also found on the surface of many different solid cancer cells, Slingluff's new research verifies.

From Science Daily

Understanding how oocytes remain healthy, and what causes these strategies to fail with age, is critical for understanding unexplained causes of infertility and open up new avenues for treatment.

From Science Daily

As a final step, the group studied oocytes obtained through hormonal stimulation and through natural cycle, to determine whether hormonal stimulation was harmful.

From Science Daily

The findings suggest that upon fertilization of ascidian oocytes, friction forces play a crucial role in reshaping and reorganizing their insides, heralding the next steps in their developmental cascade.

From Science Daily