Conceptus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A fertilized ovum that develops into an embryo and subsequently a fetus during gestation is known as the early stage of this biological formation
2. The early biological entity resulting from the union of sperm and egg which undergoes subsequent development into a fetus is termed as this stage of reproduction
3. A biological formation that occurs after the fertilization of the ovum by sperm, leading to the growth of an embryo and eventually a fetus is identified as this stage of development

Etymology: In Latin, "conceptus" was the past participle of "concipere," a verb built from "con-" (together) and "capere," meaning "to take" or "to seize." The verb's original sense was broad and physical: to take hold of something, to receive, to contain. Its meaning narrowed over time, and the perfect-tense forms of "concipere" came to mean "to become pregnant," so "conceptus" acquired the sense of a fetus or the product of conception. English borrowed the word directly from Latin in its biological sense, and it now names the early fertilized embryo in the period before it is established in the uterus. The same Latin root "capere" also gave English "capture," "receive," and "captive," so "conceptus" shares its core with words for grasping and holding, which is a useful clue to the older meaning of "concept" and "conception."

Synonyms: fetus, embryo