heterogamy

American  

[het-uh-rog-uh-mee] / ˌhɛt əˈrɒg ə mi /

noun

1. heterogamous state.

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heterogamy British  

/ ˌhɛtəˈrɒɡəmɪ /

noun

1. a type of sexual reproduction in which the gametes differ in both size and form Compare isogamy

2. a condition in which different types of reproduction occur in successive generations of an organism

3. the presence of both male and female flowers in one inflorescence Compare homogamy

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heterogamy Scientific  

/ hĕt′ə-rŏg′ə-mē /

1. Alternation of sexual and parthenogenetic generations, as in the life cycles of some aphids.

2. A reproductive system that is characterized by the fusion of gametes (called heterogametes) that are dissimilar in size and structure, such as the egg and sperm of animals.

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Other Word Forms

• heterogamous adjective

Etymology

Origin of heterogamy

First recorded in 1870–75; hetero- + -gamy

Example Sentences

That harmonises with the fact that homogamy, as it is called, predominates over heterogamy, that like is attractive to like.

From Impressions and Comments by Ellis, Havelock

Professor Pearson's own experiments in this line, however, do not give consistent results, for in correlating eyecolor with fertility, heterogamy seems to increase fertility.

From Consanguineous Marriages in the American Population by Arner, George B. Louis