oviposit

[oh-vuh-poz-it, oh-vuh-poz-]

verb (used without object)

to deposit or lay eggs, especially by means of an ovipositor.

Origin of oviposit

1810–20; ovi- + -posit < Latin positus (see posit)

Related formso·vi·po·si·tion

[oh-vuh-puh-zish-uh n] /ˌoʊ və pəˈzɪʃ ən/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for oviposit

Historical Examples of oviposit

The species which oviposit on larger plants or trees are inclosed in a gauze bag tied over the branch.
Directions for Collecting and Preserving Insects
C. V. Riley
The wasp tried to oviposit into the egg case but was upset and pursued by the cockroach.
The Biotic Associations of Cockroaches
Louis M. Roth
The female soon begins to oviposit—the eggs, as fast as they are dropped, being carried away into the nurseries by the workers.
The Dawn of Reason
James Weir

British Dictionary definitions for oviposit

oviposit

verb

(intr) (of insects and fishes) to deposit eggs through an ovipositor

Derived Formsoviposition (ˌəʊvɪpəˈzɪʃən), noun

Word Origin for oviposit

C19: ovi- + positus, past participle of Latin pōnere to place

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