mitosis

noun mi·to·sis \ mī-ˈtō-səs \

Updated on: 13 Mar 2018

Definition of mitosis

plural mitoses play \-ˌsēz\

1 : a process that takes place in the nucleus of a dividing cell, involves typically a series of steps consisting of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, and results in the formation of two new nuclei each having the same number of chromosomes as the parent nucleus — compare meiosis

2 : cell division in which mitosis occurs

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mitotic

play \-ˈtä-tik\ adjective

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mitotically

play \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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Recent Examples of mitosis from the Web

This sort of movement-mitosis appears to be an essential element in the natural physiology of social justice campaigns.

— elaine weiss, Time, "Women's Movements Are Facing Internal Divisions. History Shows That's Not Necessarily a Bad Thing," 6 Mar. 2018
In another, a flower girl splits in two, like a cell undergoing mitosis.

— david pagel, latimes.com, "Paul McCarthy at Hauser & Wirth: A horror show on a grand, exquisite scale," 14 Aug. 2017
These critters have a gestation time measured in minutes — a real challenge for mitosis but an advantage in avoiding tiresome delays in the storyline.

— seth shostak, NBC News, "‘Alien: Covenant’ Offers Ghoulish Fun But ‘Tinsel Town Science’," 22 May 2017
Which leads to another problem: With 1,000 casinos in existence and more coming all the time, not only are there too many competitors entering the market, but the sites already up and running are prone to mitosis.

— mark schone, WIRED, "EPZ Money," 1 Nov. 2000

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

Origin and Etymology of mitosis

borrowed from German Mitosis (later Mitose), from Greek mítos "length of thread, cord used to separate warp threads" (of uncertain origin) + -ōsis -osis

Note: Term coined by the German biologist Walther Flemming (1843-1905) in Zellsubstanz, Kern und Zelltheilung (Leipzig, 1882), p. 376. Flemming introduces the word first in the compound Karyomitosis as a replacement for Karyokinesis to denote specifically "the metamorphosis of threads in the nucleus" ("Fadenmetamorphose im Kern"). In following sentences he uses the truncated form in the plural Mitosen for mitotic figures ("Kerntheilungsfiguren," i.e, the spindle-shaped figures presented by the chromosomes during mitosis) and in the singular Mitosis for the process of division.

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First Known Use: 1887

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