sexual reproduction

American  

[sek-shoo-uhl ree-pruh-duhk-shuhn] / ˈsɛk ʃu əl ˌri prəˈdʌk ʃən /

noun

Biology.

1. reproduction involving the union of gametes.

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sexual reproduction British  

noun

1. reproduction involving the fusion of a male and female haploid gamete

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sexual reproduction Scientific  

1. See under reproduction

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sexual reproduction Cultural  

1. The production of a new living thing by two parent organisms, with each parent contributing half the material in the DNA of the offspring. The young, genetically different from either parent, can rapidly adapt to their environment by means of natural selection. (See chromosomes and meiosis.)

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Etymology

Origin of sexual reproduction

First recorded in 1880–85

Compare meaning

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

• asexual reproduction vs. sexual reproduction

Example Sentences

It’s also only visible when it sprouts gory, red, funguslike flowers up from the ground for sexual reproduction.

From Science Magazine

And it took just 100 generations for the species to evolve "barriers to sexual reproduction".

From BBC

Mammals, including us, can make babies only through sexual reproduction - aka you need an egg from mum and a sperm from dad.

From BBC

Also, sexual reproduction introduces new genetic variation within a species.

From New York Times

The only major defect — in both strains — was in sexual reproduction, in which yeast cells with two genome copies produce ‘spores’ that have only one.

From Nature