gamete

American  

[gam-eet, guh-meet] / ˈgæm it, gəˈmit /

noun

Biology.

1. a mature sexual reproductive cell, as a sperm or egg, that unites with another cell to form a new organism.

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gamete British  

/ ɡəˈmɛtɪk, ˈɡæmiːt, ɡəˈmiːt /

noun

1. a haploid germ cell, such as a spermatozoon or ovum, that fuses with another germ cell during fertilization

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gamete Scientific  

/ găm′ēt′ /

1. A cell whose nucleus unites with that of another cell to form a new organism. A gamete contains only a single (haploid) set of chromosomes. Animal egg and sperm cells, the nuclei carried in grains of pollen, and egg cells in plant ovules are all gametes.

2. Also called germ cell reproductive cell, sex cell

3. See Note at mitosis

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gamete Cultural  

1. A reproductive cell having a single set of chromosomes, especially a mature sperm or egg.

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Other Word Forms

• gametal adjective
• gametic adjective
• gametically adverb

Etymology

Origin of gamete

1885–90; < New Latin gameta < Greek gamet- (stem of gametḗ wife, gamétēs husband), derivative of gameîn to marry

Compare meaning

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

• gamete vs. zygote

Example Sentences

Helen Gibson, founder of Surrogacy Concern, a UK group which campaigns on issues relating to surrogacy and gamete donation said the organisation did not support "any payment for gametes".

From BBC

In the process of plant reproduction, when a pollen grain that transports male gametes lands on the stigma of another flower, it initiates the formation of a pollen tube.

From Science Daily

This means that the male gametes, which are located at the tip of the pollen tube, cannot fuse with the plant's egg cells.

From Science Daily

But as they age, hermaphrodites continue producing eggs and cease producing sperm, leaving them with gametes they cannot self-fertilize.

From Science Daily

"In the model plant thale cress, we have discovered the signal that activates the female gamete to form a new seed," says Grossniklaus.

From Science Daily