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binary fission

American  

noun

Biology.
  1. fission into two organisms approximately equal in size.


binary fission British  

noun

  1. asexual reproduction in unicellular organisms by division into two daughter cells

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of binary fission

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Most undergo some form of asexual reproduction, such as binary fission, to produce two daughter cells.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Cycles of binary fission can be very rapid, on the order of minutes for some species.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

Name the common components of eukaryotic cell division and binary fission.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

It is in some ways analogous to the process of binary fission of single-celled prokaryotic organisms.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

They must still be described as minute spheres, rods, or spirals, with no further discernible structure, sometimes motile and sometimes stationary, sometimes producing spores and sometimes not, and multiplying universally by binary fission.

From The Story of Germ Life by Conn, H. W. (Herbert William)