polar body

noun

Updated on: 6 Apr 2018

Definition of polar body

: a cell that separates from an oocyte during meiosis and that contains a nucleus produced in the first or second meiotic division and very little cytoplasm

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Recent Examples of polar body from the Web

The extra chromosome material left over from the egg’s final stage of division remains in a smaller sphere called a polar body.

— marissa fessenden, Smithsonian, "Researchers Mature Human Eggs in the Lab for the First Time," 10 Feb. 2018
Typically, these polar bodies break down in the woman’s body.

— marissa fessenden, Smithsonian, "Researchers Mature Human Eggs in the Lab for the First Time," 10 Feb. 2018
This may mean that too much cytoplasm — the fluid inside cells — ended up in the polar body.

— marissa fessenden, Smithsonian, "Researchers Mature Human Eggs in the Lab for the First Time," 10 Feb. 2018

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