ontogeny

[ on-toj-uh-nee ]

/ ɒnˈtɒdʒ ə ni /

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See synonyms for ontogeny on Thesaurus.com

noun Biology.

the development or developmental history of an individual organism.

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Also on·to·gen·e·sis

[on-tuh-jen-uh-sis]. /ˌɒn təˈdʒɛn ə sɪs/.

Compare phylogeny.

Origin of ontogeny

First recorded in 1870–75; onto- + -geny

OTHER WORDS FROM ontogeny

on·to·ge·net·ic

[on-tuh-juh-net-ik], /ˌɒn tə dʒəˈnɛt ɪk/, on·to·ge·net·i·cal, on·to·gen·ic, adjectiveon·to·ge·net·i·cal·ly, on·to·gen·i·cal·ly, adverbon·tog·e·nist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ontogeny in a sentence

This ontogenic fact is supremely important, for the most far-reaching conclusions may be drawn from it.
The Riddle of the Universe at the close of the nineteenth century|Ernst Haeckel
This, as already explained, is the embryonic or Ontogenic series.
Evolution|Joseph Le Conte
But there is another essential element in ontogenic evolution.
Evolution|Joseph Le Conte
Because we can trace the change from the one to the other in the ontogenic series.
Evolution|Joseph Le Conte

Also, the mentioned characters in adults of M. africana resemble ontogenic stages passed through by other weasels.
American Weasels|E. Raymond Hall

British Dictionary definitions for ontogeny

ontogeny

ontogenesis (ˌɒntəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs)

/ (ɒnˈtɒdʒənɪ) /

noun

the entire sequence of events involved in the development of an individual organismCompare phylogeny

Derived forms of ontogeny

ontogenic (ˌɒntəˈdʒɛnɪk) or ontogenetic (ˌɒntədʒɪˈnɛtɪk), adjectiveontogenically or ontogenetically, adverb

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