morula

American  

[mawr-oo-luh, -yoo-] / ˈmɔr ʊ lə, -jʊ- /

noun

Embryology.

• morulas,
  plural
• morulae
  plural

1. the mass of cells resulting from the cleavage of the ovum before the formation of a blastula.

---

morula British  

/ ˈmɒrjʊlə /

noun

1. embryol a solid ball of cells resulting from cleavage of a fertilized ovum

---

morula Scientific  

/ môr′yə-lə /

• morulae
  plural

1. The spherical embryonic mass of blastomeres that results from cleavage of the fertilized ovum and develops into the blastula.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• morular
  adjective
• premorular
  adjective
• pseudomorular
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• morulae
  plural
• morulas
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of morula

1855–60; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin mōr ( um ) mulberry + -ula -ule

---

Compare meaning

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

• morula vs. blastula

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

morula morulas

At this stage of development, called the morula, there are 30-60 cells.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Sometimes, Ramos can wait for the embryo to become a morula, which looks like a blackberry, or a blastula, which looks like a soccer ball, before transferring the embryo to the woman's uterus.

From Slate ● May 23, 2012

By repeated cleavage of it a morula is formed, and from this a blastula, which changes in a very characteristic way into the greatly modified gastrula.

From The Evolution of Man — Volume 1 by Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel

As in the case of the fish-ovum, these segmentation-cells form a round, lens-shaped disk, which corresponds to the morula, and is embedded in a small depression of the white yelk.

From The Evolution of Man — Volume 1 by Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel

This morula, as I have called it, reproduces the next stage in the development of life.

From The World's Greatest Books — Volume 15 — Science by Sir John Alexander Hammerton

Near the end of my visit, our conversation turned from the theoretical consideration of morulas and blastulas to the specific realities of my own condition and treatment.

From Slate ● May 23, 2012

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---