This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
ovum
[ oh-vuhm ]
/ ˈoʊ vəm /
See the most commonly confused word associated with oocyte
Save This Word!
noun, plural o·va [oh-vuh]. /ˈoʊ və/.
Cell Biology.
- the female reproductive cell or gamete of animals, which is capable of developing, usually only after fertilization, into a new individual.
- the female reproductive cell or gamete of plants.
Architecture. an oval ornament, as in an egg-and-dart molding.
COMPARE MEANINGS
Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.
QUIZ
GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!
Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.
Question 1 of 9
Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?
Origin of ovum
Words nearby ovum
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use ovum in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for ovum
ovum
/ (ˈəʊvəm) /
noun plural ova (ˈəʊvə)
an unfertilized female gamete; egg cell
Word Origin for ovum
from Latin: egg
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
Medical definitions for ovum
ovum
[ ō′vəm ]
n. pl. o•va (ō′və)
The female reproductive cell or gamete; egg.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for ovum
ovum
[ ō′vəm ]
Plural ova
The mature reproductive cell of female animals, produced in the ovaries. See more at egg.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.