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Glite Dictionary
🧬 Egg-forming cell 🧫 Egg structure
oogonium

oogonium

9.9
A cell in an ovary that divides to make an egg cell during early development
  • noun
  • /ˌoʊɡəˈnoʊmiəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : oogonio
  • The oogonium is essential for egg development.

Examples

  • Scientists observed the development of the oogonium under a microscope.

  • The oogonium divides several times before becoming a mature egg cell.

  • Each oogonium has the potential to give rise to an oocyte during early development.

  • In many species, each oogonium divides to form a single egg cell.

  • An oogonium is the initial cell that develops into an egg cell in the female reproductive system of many plants.

  • In some species of algae, the oogonium is the structure that produces the egg cells for fertilization.

  • During early development, each oogonium divides to ultimately form a mature egg cell needed for reproduction.

Synonyms

oocyte
vsoogonium
  • Specialized
3 9.9

A female egg cell in the ovary that can become an egg for reproduction

is an earlier dividing ovary cell that forms eggs during early development

Surface Forms

oogonium singular
oogonia plural

Morphology

oogonium = oo + gonium

Formed from specialized Greek combining forms ('oo-' meaning egg + '-gonium' a reproductive structure) that are not productive standalone English words, so an average B1 learner would not be able to derive the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

Oogonium comes from Greek parts oo- meaning 'egg' and -gonium meaning 'producer' or 'seed', so it is like an 'egg-maker' cell; this explains why an oogonium divides and becomes an egg cell.