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ovipositor

[ oh-vuh-poz-i-ter ]
/ ˌoʊ vəˈpɒz ɪ tər /

noun

(in certain female insects) an organ at the end of the abdomen, by which eggs are deposited.
a similar organ in other animals, as certain fishes.

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Origin of ovipositor

First recorded in 1810–20; oviposit + -or2

Words nearby ovipositor

Ovimbundu, ovine, ovipara, oviparous, oviposit, ovipositor, ovisac, OV language, ovo-, ovoid, ovolactarian
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for ovipositor

British Dictionary definitions for ovipositor

ovipositor
/ (ˌəʊvɪˈpɒzɪtə) /

noun

the egg-laying organ of most female insects, consisting of a pair of specialized appendages at the end of the abdomen
a similar organ in certain female fishes, formed by an extension of the edges of the genital opening
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

Scientific definitions for ovipositor

ovipositor
[ ō′və-pŏz′ĭ-tər ]

A tube in many female insects that extends from the end of the abdomen and is used to lay eggs.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.