ovum

noun

ˈō-vəm

plural ova ˈō-və

: a female gamete : macrogamete

called also egg cell

Examples of ovum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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The next step was to transfer a nucleus with the edited DNA into a dunnart ovum. — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025 The nucleus of that cell—which contains all of the animal’s DNA—is then extracted and inserted into an ovum whose own nucleus has been removed. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 The ovum carrying the new genetic material is allowed to develop into an embryo and then transferred into the womb of a surrogate, which ultimately gives birth to an exact duplicate of the animal from which the donor cell was taken. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 Kate Mara Before welcoming her daughter in 2019, Fantastic Four and House of Cards actress Kate Mara experienced a miscarriage known as a blighted ovum. — Mia Taylor, Parents, 16 Oct. 2024 This cap contains enzymes that help the sperm enter the ovum (egg). — Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2024 The ovum carries an X chromosome, while sperm cells can carry either an X or a Y chromosome. — Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2024 If a sperm cell carrying an X chromosome fertilizes the ovum, the fetus will be genetically female. — Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, egg — more at egg entry 1

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of ovum was in 1672

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ovulum

ovum

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Style

“Ovum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovum. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ovum

noun

ˈō-vəm

plural ova -və

: egg entry 2 sense 1c

Medical Definition

ovum

noun

ˈō-vəm

plural ova -və

: a female gamete : macrogamete

especially : a mature egg that has undergone reduction, is ready for fertilization, and takes the form of a relatively large inactive gamete providing a comparatively great amount of reserve material and contributing most of the cytoplasm of the zygote

ovum

noun

Examples of ovum in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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