gamete

gam·ete | \ ˈga-ˌmēt also gə-ˈmēt

Definition of gamete

: a mature male or female germ cell usually possessing a haploid chromosome set and capable of initiating formation of a new diploid individual by fusion with a gamete of the opposite sex

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Examples of gamete in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Clearly, there are strong mechanisms by which Mendel’s law of segregation (that decrees equal access to gametes by allelic pairs) is enforced. — Quanta Magazine, "Solution: ‘Triumph or Cooperation in Game Theory and Evolution’," 8 Dec. 2017 Irena discovered a branch of the Institut Marquès in Ireland, a country that permits non-anonymous gamete donation. — Anna Louie Sussman, The New Yorker, "When the Government Seizes Your Embryos," 22 Oct. 2019 To get around that, another group is working on producing artificial gametes—egg and sperm—from preserved skin tissue from 12 white rhinos. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Eggs Successfully Collected from the Last Two Northern White Rhinos," 24 Aug. 2019 Once a group of adults is conditioned, they are transferred to warmer water and made to release their gametes. — Julia Rentsch, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland oysters are having a bad year, and here’s why," 18 Aug. 2019 These stem cells will eventually be converted into gametes, sperm and egg cells. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Birth at Safari Park marks milestone in saving nearly extinct rhino," 29 July 2019 The exact identity of the sperm was random, and the egg waited passively until the Michael Phelps of gametes finally arrived. — Quanta Magazine, "Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law," 15 Nov. 2017 There’s a little explosion of light as both dump their gametes in the water. — Laura Yan, Popular Mechanics, "These Tiny Fireworms Light up to Make Love," 11 Aug. 2018 In December 2017, Surani announced a crucial milestone concerning the eight-week cycle, after which germ cells begin the process of transforming into gametes. — Jason Pontin, WIRED, "Science Is Getting Us Closer to the End of Infertility," 27 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gamete.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near gamete

gamete intrafallopian transfer

game theory

gametic number

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Last Updated

10 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Gamete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamete. Accessed 28 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for gamete

gamete

noun

English Language Learners Definition of gamete

technical : one of the cells that join together to begin making a person or other creature

See the full definition for gamete in the English Language Learners Dictionary

gamete

noun

ga·mete | \ ˈgam-ˌēt also gə-ˈmēt \

Medical Definition of gamete

: a mature male or female germ cell usually possessing a haploid chromosome set and capable of initiating formation of a new diploid individual by fusion with a gamete of the opposite sex

— called also sex cell