oosphere

American  

[oh-uh-sfeer] / ˈoʊ əˌsfɪər /

noun

Biology.

1. an unfertilized egg within an oogonium.

---

oosphere British  

/ ˈəʊəˌsfɪə /

noun

1. a large female gamete produced in the oogonia of algae and fungi

---

oosphere Scientific  

/ ō′ə-sfîr′ /

1. A large nonmotile female gamete formed in an oogonium, such as the eggs formed in the oogonium of an oomycete.

---

Etymology

Origin of oosphere

First recorded in 1870–75; oo- + -sphere

Example Sentences

The sexual generation is a small green thalloid structure called a prothallium, which bears antheridia and archegonia, each archegonium having a neck-canal and oosphere, which is fertilized just as in the moss.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various

Guided by the synergidae one male-cell passes into the oosphere with which it fuses, the two nuclei uniting, while the other fuses with the definitive nucleus, or, as it is also called, the endosperm nucleus.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Part 1, Slice 1 by Various

Each protuberance bursts, and some of the spermatozoids come in contact with and are absorbed by the oosphere, which then secretes a cell-wall, and after a time germinates.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various

The protoplasm in one of these protuberances arranges itself into a round mass--the oosphere or female cell.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various

Mycelium present, antheridia with antherozoids, oogonium with single oosphere: Monoblepharidaceae.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various