thelytoky

American

[thi-lit-uh-kee] / θɪˈlɪt ə ki /

Also thelyotoky

noun

parthenogenesis in which only females are produced.

Etymology

Origin of thelytoky

1890–95; < Greek thēlytokía, equivalent to thêly ( s ) female + tók ( os ) parturition, offspring + -ia -y ³

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.

During a process called thelytoky, two of the Cape bee’s daughter cells fuse together to make a single cell with both sets of chromosomes — just like Thelma the snake, a reticulated python known for her virgin births.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023