oviparous

American  

[oh-vip-er-uhs] / oʊˈvɪp ər əs /

adjective

Zoology.

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

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oviparous British  

/ ˌəʊvɪˈpærɪtɪ, əʊˈvɪpərəs /

adjective

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

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oviparous Scientific  

/ ō-vĭp′ər-əs /

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

2. Compare ovoviviparous viviparous

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Other Word Forms

• oviparity noun
• oviparously adverb
• oviparousness noun

Etymology

Origin of oviparous

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

Compare meaning

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

• oviparous vs. viviparous

Explanation

Use the adjective oviparous to describe an animal that lays eggs. Birds and lizards are oviparous. A chicken is a good example of an oviparous animal, since females lay eggs and then keep them warm and safe until they hatch. In fact, all birds are oviparous, as are most fish, reptiles, and insects. The word oviparous is most often used in biology classes to distinguish egg-laying animals from those that give birth to live babies, like humans. It's a Latin word that combines ovum, or "egg" with parere, "to bring forth."

Example Sentences

What are the mechanisms that protect and nurture the embryo in oviparous animals?

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Some species of sharks are oviparous: They lay eggs that hatch outside of the mother’s body.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

The latter is quite interesting when we add the fact that dinosaurs were oviparous plus likely had very long incubation period, so possibly adult males and females were kept long time to incubate/defend the brood.

From Scientific American • Jan. 5, 2012

Ungulates practise K-selection and are viviparous; Mesozoic dinosaurs seem to have been mostly r-selected, and of course they were oviparous nest-builders.

From Scientific American • Jan. 5, 2012

They are one of the larger land-animals of Winter, about the size of a fox, oviparous vegetarians with a splendid coat of gray or white fur.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin