spore

¹

[ spawr, spohr ]

noun

1. Biology. a walled, single- to many-celled, reproductive body of an organism, capable of giving rise to a new individual either directly or indirectly.
2. a germ, germ cell, seed, or the like.

verb (used without object)

, spored, spor·ing.

1. to bear or produce spores.

-spore

²

1. variant of sporo-, as final element of compound words:

   teliospore.

spore

/ spɔː /

noun

1. a reproductive body, produced by bacteria, fungi, various plants, and some protozoans, that develops into a new individual. A sexual spore is formed after the fusion of gametes and an asexual spore is the result of asexual reproduction
2. a germ cell, seed, dormant bacterium, or similar body

verb

1. intr to produce, carry, or release spores

spore

/ spôr /

1. A usually one-celled reproductive body that can grow into a new organism without uniting with another cell. Spores are haploid (having only a single set of chromosomes). Fungi, algae, seedless plants, and certain protozoans reproduce asexually by spores. Plant spores that are dispersed by the wind have walls containing sporopollenin.
2. See more at alternation of generations
3. A similar one-celled body in seed-bearing plants; the macrospore or microspore. The macrospore of seed-bearing plants develops into a female gametophyte or megagametophyte , which is contained within the ovule and eventually produces the egg cells. (The megagametophyte is also called the embryo sac in angiosperms.) The microspore of seed-bearing plants develops into the male microgametophyte or pollen grain.
4. See endospore

spore

1. A reproductive cell or group of cells, produced by some plants, that is capable of developing into an adult plant without combining with another reproductive cell. Plants also produce sperm cells. The spores of nonflowering plants are analogous to the seeds of flowering plants. ( See asexual reproduction ; compare sexual reproduction .) Fungi and algae typically reproduce by means of spores that are carried by the wind or some other agency to a new location for growth.

Other Words From

• sporal adjective
• sporoid adjective
• inter·sporal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spore¹

1830–40; < New Latin spora < Greek sporá sowing, seed, akin to speírein to sow; sperm ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of spore¹

C19: from New Latin spora, from Greek: a sowing; related to Greek speirein to sow

Example Sentences

Plant pollen and fungal spores are aerosols that can waft long distances.

From Science News For Students

It wasn’t a total surprise when several prominent science publications moved years ago to curtail or eliminate comments on their websites, encouraging readers to release their precious thought spores into the social media wilderness instead.

From Quanta Magazine

Miroslav Žít, an amateur photographer from Prachatice in the Czech Republic, snapped this photo of a stunning moss capsule packed with spores almost ready to take flight.

From Science News

The spores ride the wind once released, sometimes traveling long distances and staying dormant until conditions are right for growth.

From Science News

As the water evaporates from the spores the muscles contract, which resets the cycle.

From Nautilus

Anthrax, or Bacillus anthracis, is spore-forming bacteria found in soil that most commonly affects cattle.

From The Daily Beast

The CDC says that about 60 percent of the people who inhale the spore do not contract valley fever.

From The Daily Beast

Spore, another spinoff, taught players about the randomly branching paths evolution can take.

From The Daily Beast

Budding (as in yeast) and spore formation are familiar to us in plants.

From Project Gutenberg

At length a hard coat forms around this cell, which has now become a spore.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus the spore of the sun—the whispering spheres—found a set of conditions fitted for growth.

From Project Gutenberg

This destroys the resisting power of the spore membrane and allows the stain to reach the interior.

From Project Gutenberg

This dissolves out any fat or crystals that might otherwise retain the "spore" stain.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• berry
• corn
• egg
• grain
• nut