Parthenogenesis

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌpɑːθɪnəʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪsɪs/

Definitions

1. A reproductive strategy in which offspring originate from unfertilized ova is termed a type of asexual reproduction
2. In this process, new organisms can form independently from a male counterpart's genetic contribution
3. The formation of new individuals from eggs that have not been fertilized by a male

Etymology: Ancient Greeks would have found the word "parthenogenesis" puzzling, because it was assembled from classical parts rather than inherited from them. Its first half comes from "parthenos," the Greek word for "virgin" or "maiden," and its second half from "genesis," meaning "origin" or "generation." Put together, the literal sense is something like "virgin birth," a phrase that carries strong religious resonance in Christian tradition. The biological term, however, was a modern coinage built on those old roots, not a word the Greeks themselves used for the phenomenon. The biological sense is the one that matters for science. It describes offspring developing from an unfertilized egg, a reproductive route found in some insects, reptiles, fish and other animals, where no male contribution is needed. The religious and biological senses share a root but diverge sharply: one refers to a miraculous conception, the other to an ordinary, if unusual, mode of reproduction in living things.