oogamete

[oh-uh-gam-eet, -guh-meet]

noun

Cell Biology.

1. one of a pair of structurally dissimilar gametes, the female gamete being large and nonmotile and the male gamete being small and motile.

Other Word Forms

• oogamous adjective
• oogamy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of oogamete¹

First recorded in 1890–95; oo- + gamete