cytokinesis

noun

cy·​to·​ki·​ne·​sis ˌsī-tō-kə-ˈnē-səs How to pronounce cytokinesis (audio)
-kī-
1
: the cytoplasmic changes accompanying mitosis
2
: cleavage of the cytoplasm into daughter cells following nuclear division
cytokinetic adjective

Examples of cytokinesis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Successful embryos had an initial cytokinesis, or division of the cell’s cytoplasm, lasting between 0 and 33 minutes, a gap between first and second cell divisions lasting 7.8 – 14.3 hours, and an interval between second and third cell divisions of 0 – 5.8 hours. Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2010 Explore photosynthesis, osmosis, nitrogen fixation, and other life processes • Investigate the cell cycle (mitosis and cytokinesis) • Bruce Sterling, WIRED, 28 Apr. 2012

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cytokinesis was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near cytokinesis

Cite this Entry

“Cytokinesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cytokinesis. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

cytokinesis

noun
cy·​to·​ki·​ne·​sis ˌsīt-ō-kə-ˈnē-səs, -kī- How to pronounce cytokinesis (audio)
plural cytokineses -ˌsēz How to pronounce cytokinesis (audio)
1
: the cytoplasmic changes accompanying mitosis
2
: cleavage of the cytoplasm into daughter cells following nuclear division compare karyokinesis
cytokinetic adjective

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