zygote

American  

[zahy-goht, zig-oht] / ˈzaɪ goʊt, ˈzɪg oʊt /

noun

Biology.

1. the cell produced by the union of two gametes, before it undergoes cleavage.

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zygote British  

/ ˈzɪɡ-, zɪ-, ˈzaɪɡəʊt, zaɪˈɡɒtɪk /

noun

1. the cell resulting from the union of an ovum and a spermatozoon

2. the organism that develops from such a cell

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zygote Scientific  

/ zī′gōt′ /

1. The cell formed by the union of the nuclei of two reproductive cells (gametes), especially a fertilized egg cell.

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zygote Cultural  

1. The single cell that results from fertilization of an ovum by a sperm. After dividing several times, it implants in the uterus. It continues to divide, producing more cells and passing through the stages of embryo and fetus.

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Other Word Forms

• zygotic
  adjective
• zygotically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of zygote

1885–90; < Greek zygōtós yoked, equivalent to zygō-, variant stem of zygoûn to yoke, join together (derivative of zygón yoke ¹ ) + -tos adj. suffix

Compare meaning

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

• gamete vs. zygote

Explanation

A zygote is a fertilized egg. The sperm cell (spermatozoon) and the egg (ovum) each have only half the genes of the parent cell — they're haploid cells. When the spermatozoon fertilizes the ovum, the resulting cell has the full complement of genes, so it's a diploid cell. The diploid cell then divides rapidly, becoming first an embryo, then a fetus. The word zygote comes from the Greek word for yoke — joining two things together, like hitching two oxen together to pull a plow.

Example Sentences

Hell, social media as we know it was a zygote.

From Salon • Jul. 31, 2025

Since Rachel and Alvy only ever feel like constructs, not characters, it’s predictable that their attitudes would reverse once their zygote is encased in egg-shaped plastic.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 11, 2023

This is strikingly apparent in the development of a new organism—a human being, say—from a single fertilized egg, or zygote.

From Scientific American • May 31, 2023

Yes, all the zygote seems to get by way of instruction is a genome, but you will look there in vain for any blueprint for a heart or brain.

From Scientific American • May 31, 2023

The resulting coupled cell or zygote divides into two, which again encyst.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 2 "Hearing" to "Helmond" by Various