embryology

noun

em·​bry·​ol·​o·​gy ˌem-brē-ˈä-lə-jē 

1

: a branch of biology dealing with embryos and their development

2

: the features and phenomena exhibited in the formation and development of an embryo

embryological

ˌem-brē-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

embryologically

ˌem-brē-ə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

embryologist

ˌem-brē-ˈä-lə-jist 

noun

Examples of embryology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An embryology lab at Colossal, a startup working to resurrect extinct species. — Rachel Rabkin Peachman, Forbes.com, 3 Mar. 2026

The shots induce the ovaries to ripen multiple follicles, the sacs that contain eggs, so that a surgeon can go in with a tiny needle, and drain the fluid in those follicles, which is then run into an adjacent embryology lab to search for the eggs. — Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 31 May 2026

And embryology labs aren’t subject to federal inspections the way, say, blood banks are — instead, most are inspected by accreditation organizations. — Alexandra Chaidez, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025

And because the models lie at the intersection of historically controversial fields — stem cell biology and embryology — the work merits closer oversight than other forms of scientific research, Clark said. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 30 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin embryologia, from embryo- embryo- + -logia -logy

Note: The Latin word was perhaps introduced by the German physician Martin Schurig (1656-1733), who used it in the title of his Embryologia historio-medica (Dresden & Leipzig, 1732).

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for embryology

• anthology
• apology
• astrology
• biology
• christology
• chronology
• conchology
• cosmology
• cryptology
• cytology
• doxology
• ecology

Kids Definition

embryology

noun

em·​bry·​ol·​o·​gy ˌem-brē-ˈäl-ə-jē 

1

: a branch of biology dealing with embryos and their development

2

: the facts and events characteristic of the development of an embryo

embryological

ˌem-brē-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

embryologically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

embryology

noun

em·​bry·​ol·​o·​gy -jē 

plural embryologies

1

: a branch of biology dealing with embryos and their development

2

: the features and phenomena exhibited in the formation and development of an embryo

embryological

-brē-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

also embryologic

-ˈläj-ik 

embryologically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb