fissiparous

[fi-sip-er-uhs]

adjective

1. reproducing by fission.

fissiparous

/ fɪˈsɪpərəs /

adjective

1. biology reproducing by fission

2. having a tendency to divide into groups or factions

Other Word Forms

• fissiparousness noun
• fissiparously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of fissiparous¹

First recorded in 1825–35; fissi- + -parous

Example Sentences

But the walkout threat is a marked escalation from an ordinarily fissiparous newsroom.

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The spectacle is ugly, but at least it shows that a fissiparous four-nation state cannot be governed without radical social and constitutional change.

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He now seems likely to face a challenger in the autumn vote, which would leave his fate in the hands of the LDP’s fissiparous factions.

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The basic test of any leader, Republican or Democratic, is to get a grip on the inevitably fissiparous elements of his political herd.

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The league, in their view, was inherently fragile and fissiparous; if it had been founded a thousand years ago, it would have broken up well before the Pilgrims.

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