embryonic

adjective

em·​bry·​on·​ic ˌem-brē-ˈä-nik 

1

: of or relating to an embryo

2

: being in an early stage of development : incipient, rudimentary

an embryonic plan

embryonically

ˌem-brē-ˈä-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of embryonic in a Sentence

The tourism industry there is still in an embryonic stage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Paterson and Gower used visual references from porcupines to animal embryonic sacks. —Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

Some of that is owing simply to where these two teams are in their evolution, as Carolina has one of the deepest rosters in the NHL and Montreal is still only in the embryonic stages of what’s been a very impressive, quick-turn rebuild. —James Mirtle, New York Times, 26 May 2026

The glam factor, though, was still embryonic. —Nick Scott, Robb Report, 17 May 2026

What researchers found was a highly coordinated sequence of events that resembles a replay of embryonic development. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin embryonicus, from embryon-, embryo embryo + Latin -icus -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing embryonic

• embryonic disc
• embryonic disk
• embryonic membrane

Rhymes for embryonic

• atonic
• benthonic
• bionic
• bosonic
• bubonic
• canonic
• carbonic
• cyclonic
• demonic
• dystonic
• hadronic
• harmonic

Kids Definition

embryonic

adjective

em·​bry·​on·​ic ˌem-brē-ˈän-ik 

1

: of or relating to an embryo

2

: being in an early stage of development

an embryonic plan

embryonically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

embryonic

adjective

em·​bry·​on·​ic ˌem-brē-ˈän-ik 

1

: of or relating to an embryo

2

: being in an early stage of development : incipient, rudimentary

embryonically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb