oogonium

noun

oo·​go·​ni·​um ˌō-ə-ˈgō-nē-əm How to pronounce oogonium (audio)
plural oogonia ˌō-ə-ˈgō-nē-ə How to pronounce oogonium (audio)
1
: a female sexual organ in various algae and fungi that corresponds to the archegonium of ferns and mosses
2
: a descendant of a primordial germ cell that gives rise to oocytes
oogonial adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oogonium was in 1867

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Cite this Entry

“Oogonium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oogonium. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.

Medical Definition

oogonium

noun
oo·​go·​ni·​um ˌō-ə-ˈgō-nē-əm How to pronounce oogonium (audio)
: a descendant of a primordial germ cell that gives rise to oocytes
oogonial adjective
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