dioecious

American  

[dahy-ee-shuhs] / daɪˈi ʃəs /

Or diecious

adjective

Biology.

1. (especially of plants) having the male and female organs in separate and distinct individuals; having separate sexes.

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dioecious British  

/ daɪˈɔɪkəs, daɪˈiːʃəs /

adjective

1. (of some plants) having the male and female reproductive organs in separate flowers on separate plants Compare monoecious

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dioecious Scientific  

/ dī-ē′shəs /

1. Having male flowers on one plant and female flowers on another plant of the same species. The holly and asparagus plants are dioecious.

2. Compare monoecious

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Other Word Forms

• dioeciously adverb
• dioeciousness noun
• dioecism noun

Etymology

Origin of dioecious

1740–50; < New Latin Dioeci ( a ) a class name ( di- di- ¹ + Greek oikía a house, dwelling, spelling variant of oîkos ) + -ous

Compare meaning

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

• monoecious vs. dioecious

Example Sentences

Salix are generally dioecious — their male and female reproductive parts are on different plants.

From Seattle Times

In fact, Nepenthes is the only dioecious carnivorous plant.

From Science Daily

If you want berries, remember that hollies are dioecious, meaning they come in male and female, and only the female bears fruit.

From Seattle Times

Willows are dioecious; that is, male trees produce only male flowers, and female trees produce only female flowers.

From New York Times

The former plants are termed self-incompatible hermaphrodites; the latter, dioecious species.

From Literature