morula

noun mor·u·la \ ˈmȯr-(y)ə-lə , ˈmär- \

Definition of morula

plural morulae play \ˈmȯr-(y)ə-ˌlē, -ˌlī, ˈmär-\ also morulas

: a globular solid mass of blastomeres formed by cleavage of a zygote that typically precedes the blastula

—

morular

play \ˈmȯr-(y)ə-lər, ˈmär-\ adjective

—

morulation

play \ˌmȯr-(y)ə-ˈlā-shən, ˌmär-\ noun

Origin and Etymology of morula

borrowed from New Latin (in a German context), from Latin mōrum "black mulberry, blackberry" + New Latin -ula (as in gastrula, planula) — more at mulberry

Note: The term was introduced by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) in Die Kalkschwämme, Band 1 (Berlin, 1872), p. 112: "Der Organismus der Kalkschwämme bildet zunächst, nachdem er den monoplastiden Zustand der Eizelle durch die Befruchtung der letzeren überwunden und sich durch die vollbrachte 'Furchtung' des Eies von der ersten zur zweiten Individualitäts-Ordnung erhoben hat, die sogenannte 'Maulbeer-Form' oder 'Brombeer-Form,' welche wir ein für allemal als Morula bezeichnen wollen." ("After the calcareous-sponge organism goes beyond the undifferentiated condition of the egg cell through fertilization, and through completed 'cleavage' of the egg has risen from the first to the second rank of individuality, it forms at first the so-called 'mulberry-form' or 'blackberry-form,' which we will designate once and for all as the morula.")

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1875

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year