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dioecious

or di·e·cious

[ dahy-ee-shuhs ]

adjective

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


dioecious

/ daɪˈɔɪkəs; daɪˈiːʃəs /

adjective

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

dioecious

/ dī-ēshəs /

  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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Derived Forms

  • diˈoeciously, adverb
  • diˈoeciousness, noun
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Other Words From

  • di·oecious·ly adverb
  • di·oecious·ness noun
  • di·oe·cism [dahy-, ee, -siz-, uh, m], noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dioecious1

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

Origin of dioecious1

C18: from New Latin Dioecia name of class, from di 1+ Greek oikia house, dwelling
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Example Sentences

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

Nepenthes is part of the just 6% of flowering plant species that are dioecious, meaning each individual plant produces either male or female flowers.

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

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

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

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