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gemma

[ jem-uh ]
/ ˈdʒɛm ə /
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noun, plural gem·mae [jem-ee]. /ˈdʒɛm i/.
a bud.
Botany. a cell or cluster of cells, or a leaflike or budlike body, that separates from the parent plant to form a new organism, as in mosses and liverworts.
Zoology. gemmule (def. 2).
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Origin of gemma

First recorded in 1760–70; from Latin: “bud, jewel”; see gem
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gemma in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gemma

gemma
/ (ˈdʒɛmə) /

noun plural -mae (-miː)
a small asexual reproductive structure in liverworts, mosses, etc, that becomes detached from the parent and develops into a new individual
zoology another name for gemmule (def. 1)

Derived forms of gemma

gemmaceous (dʒɛˈmeɪʃəs), adjective

Word Origin for gemma

C18: from Latin: bud, gem
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

Scientific definitions for gemma

gemma
[ jĕmə ]

Plural gemmae (jĕmē′)
A budlike mass of undifferentiated tissue which serves as a means of vegetative reproduction among mosses and liverworts. The gemmae, often formed in structures called gemma cups, are usually dispersed from the parent plant by the splashing of raindrops, after which they develop into new individuals.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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