semelparous
Britishadjective
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Also: hapaxanthic. monocarpic. (of a plant) producing flowers and fruit only once before dying
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(of an animal) producing offspring only once during its lifetime
Other Word Forms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So when you’re enjoying a candlelit dinner with your loved one or indulging in some other romantic celebration of Valentine’s Day, please keep in mind that humans are not semelparous.
From Scientific American ● Feb. 13, 2020
Kalutas evolved independently of other semelparous dasyurids, so the confirmation that male kalutas die after mating suggests that this unorthodox reproductive strategy has evolved not once, but twice in dasyurids.
From New York Times ● Aug. 28, 2019
Kalutas are dasyurids, the only group of mammals known to contain semelparous species.
From New York Times ● Aug. 28, 2019
Male kalutas, small mouselike marsupials found in the arid regions of Northwestern Australia, are semelparous, meaning that shortly after they mate, they drop dead.
From New York Times ● Aug. 28, 2019
Like nearly all cephalopods, these octopuses are strictly semelparous, meaning they breed once and then die.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2017
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
