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pangenesis

pangenesis

9.9
An old idea that every body part sends small pieces to eggs or sperm
  • noun
  • /ˌpænˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/
  • Archaic
translation icon : pangenesis
  • According to pangenesis, each organ of the body casts off tiny particles called gemmules.
  • theory of pangenesis

Examples

  • According to pangenesis, the tentative theory of heredity espoused by Darwin, minute, invisible copies of each body component and organ (gemmules) exist in all cells.

    Academic text (1993)
  • According to pangenesis, each organ of the body casts off tiny particles called gemmules.

    Academic text (2000)
  • In his longest book, The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication (1868), Darwin proposed, as a "provisional hypothesis" in his own words and judgment, a theory of heredity that he called pangenesis.

    Academic text (2000)
  • According to the discredited theory of pangenesis, all parts of an organism contribute material to its reproductive cells.

  • In his longest book, The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication (1868), Darwin proposed a theory of heredity called pangenesis.

How Accepted

fact
1.0
theory
3.2
hypothesis
138 6.1
pangenesis
  • Archaic
9.9

Surface Forms

pangenesis singular
pangeneses plural

Morphology

pangenesis = genesis (semi-transparent) = pan + genesis + pan

The prefix 'pan-' meaning 'all' combined with 'genesis' suggests a comprehensive origin, but the specific scientific theory is not immediately obvious.

Etymology

Pangenesis comes from Greek parts pan- 'all' and -genesis 'birth'. Darwin used pangenesis for his idea that every part of a plant or animal sent material to the next generation, so the name shows the theory meant 'all' parts help make offspring.