isogamete
|i-so-ga-mete|
🇺🇸
/ˌaɪ.soʊˈɡeɪ.miːt/
🇬🇧
/ˌaɪ.səˈɡeɪ.miːt/
equal-sized sex cell
Etymology
'isogamete' originates from Greek elements: 'iso-' from Greek 'isos' meaning 'equal' and 'gamete' from Greek 'gamētēs' (related to 'gamos') meaning 'marriage' or 'union'.
'isogamete' was formed in scientific/biological usage (Modern/Neo-Latin formation) by combining 'iso-' + 'gamete' and entered English technical vocabulary in biology to describe gametes of equal form; it follows from terms like 'isogamy' and 'gamete' used in 19th-century biological literature.
Initially coined to denote the condition of 'equal gametes' in contrast to 'anisogamy'; the term's meaning has remained specialized and stable, referring specifically to gametes of similar morphology/size.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a gamete (sex cell) that is morphologically similar or identical in size and form to the other gamete involved in a reproductive fusion — i.e., a gamete occurring in isogamy.
Many species of algae reproduce by fusion of isogametes that cannot be distinguished by size.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/17 10:58