blastula

noun

blas·​tu·​la ˈblas-chə-lə How to pronounce blastula (audio)
plural blastulas or blastulae ˈblas-chə-ˌlē How to pronounce blastula (audio)
: an early metazoan embryo typically having the form of a hollow fluid-filled rounded cavity bounded by a single layer of cells compare gastrula, morula
blastulation noun

Illustration of blastula

Illustration of blastula
  • c blastocoel
  • ma macromere
  • mi micromere
  • a animal pole
  • v vegetal pole

Examples of blastula in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The cells are stem cells that can be used as regenerative medicine treatments in the person from whom the blastula or blastocyst was made. David Warmflash, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2016 The new egg cell can be triggered to act as a fertilized egg, producing a blastula whose cells are clones of the donor of the nucleus. David Warmflash, Discover Magazine, 13 Dec. 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blastula.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin (in a German context), from Greek blastós "shoot, bud, embryo" + New Latin -ula (as in gastrula, planula) — more at -blast

Note: Term apparently introduced by the Russian zoologist and embryologist Vladimir Vladimirovič Zalenskij ("W. Salensky," 1847-1918) in "Bemerkungen über Haeckel's Gastraea-Theorie," Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 40. Jahrgang, 1. Band (1874), p. 162.

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blastula was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near blastula

Cite this Entry

“Blastula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blastula. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blastula

noun
blas·​tu·​la ˈblas-chə-lə How to pronounce blastula (audio)
plural blastulas
-ləz
or blastulae -ˌlē How to pronounce blastula (audio)
: an early embryo typically having the form of a hollow fluid-filled rounded cavity bounded by a single layer of cells compare gastrula

Medical Definition

blastula

noun
blas·​tu·​la ˈblas-chə-lə How to pronounce blastula (audio)
plural blastulas or blastulae -ˌlē How to pronounce blastula (audio)
: an early metazoan embryo typically having the form of a hollow fluid-filled rounded cavity bounded by a single layer of cells compare gastrula, morula
blastular adjective
blastulation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on blastula

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