oviparous

[oh-vip-er-uh s]

adjective Zoology.

producing eggs that mature and hatch after being expelled from the body, as birds, most reptiles and fishes, and the monotremes.

Origin of oviparous

From the Latin word ōviparus, dating back to 1640–50. See ovi-, -parous

Related formso·vi·par·i·ty

[oh-vuh-par-i-tee] /ˌoʊ vəˈpær ɪ ti/, o·vip·a·rous·ness, nouno·vip·a·rous·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for oviparous

Historical Examples of oviparous

Oviparous: where reproduction is through eggs laid by the female.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology
John. B. Smith
All are oviparous, and bury their eggs, which are hatched by the warmth of the sun.
The Western World
W.H.G. Kingston
Most of the Ophidian Reptiles are oviparous, but many are ovo-viviparous.
Reptiles and Birds
Louis Figuier
Crocodiles are oviparous, and their eggs are provided with resistant shells.
Reptiles and Birds
Louis Figuier
Serpents are also scaly, and, excepting the viper, oviparous.
Lives of Eminent Zoologists, from Aristotle to Linnus
William MacGillivray

British Dictionary definitions for oviparous

oviparous

adjective

(of fishes, reptiles, birds, etc) producing eggs that hatch outside the body of the motherCompare ovoviviparous, viviparous (def. 1)

Derived Formsoviparity (ˌəʊvɪˈpærɪtɪ), nounoviparously, 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

Word Origin and History for oviparous

adj.

"producing eggs that are hatched outside the body of the female," 1640s, from Latin oviparus, from ovum "egg" (see egg (n.)) + stem of parere "to bring forth" (see pare).

Science definitions for oviparous

oviparous

[ō-vĭp′ər-əs]

Producing eggs that hatch outside the body. Amphibians, birds, and most insects, fish, and reptiles are oviparous. Compare ovoviviparous viviparous.