Standard Lemma guide

parthenogenesis

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: pär'thĭnōjĕʹnĭsĭs
  • Received-Pronunciation: pär'thənōjĕʹnĭsĭs
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpɑːθɪnəʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪsɪs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌpɑːθənəʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪsɪs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: pär'thənōjĕʹnĭsĭs
  • General-American: /ˌpɑɹθɪnoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪsɪs/
  • General-American: /ˌpɑɹθənoʊˈd͡ʒɛnɪsɪs/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Referring to various aspects of asexual reproduction:

(An instance of) reproduction by the development of a single gamete (an ovum or ovule) without fertilisation by a gamete of the opposite sex; compare monogenesis, metagenesis, and heterogamy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable, usually

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Referring to various aspects of asexual reproduction:

Asexual reproduction in toto; agamogenesis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Qualifier: formerly

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

figurative uses of the biological senses

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Virgin birth, in reference to the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Topics: lifestyle, religion, theology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

process in which an unfertilized egg develops into a new individual; common among insects and some other arthropods

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parthenogeny

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: apomixis

Narrower terms: androgenesis, androgeny, gynogenesis

6

noun

Meaning 6

human conception without fertilization by a man

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parthenogeny, virgin birth

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: asexual reproduction, agamogenesis

History

Etymology

From partheno- + -genesis, from Ancient Greek παρθένος (parthénos, “virgin”) and γένεσις (génesis, “origin, creation, generation”).

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: безполово размножаване (bezpolovo razmnožavane) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 孤雌生殖 (gūcíshēngzhí) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 單性生殖 /单性生殖 (dānxìngshēngzhí) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Finnish: partenogeneesi — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Finnish: neitseellinen lisääntyminen — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • French: parthénogenèse — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • German: Parthenogenese — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Greek: παρθενογένεση (parthenogénesi) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Hungarian: szűznemzés — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Irish: partanaigineas — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Japanese: 単為生殖 (tan'iseishoku) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Kazakh: ұрықтанбай даму (ūryqtanbai damu) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Korean: 단위생식 (danwisaengsik) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Polish: partenogeneza — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Polish: dzieworództwo — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Portuguese: partenogênese — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Portuguese: partenogénese — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Spanish: partenogenesis — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Swahili: mimbapweke — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Tagalog: isahangmulaan — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Tagalog: isahangsuplingan — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Turkish: partenogenez — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Ukrainian: партеногене́з (partenohenéz) — reproduction from a single gamete without fertilisation
  • Bulgarian: непорочно зачатие (neporočno začatie) — virgin birth
  • Finnish: neitseestä syntyminen — virgin birth
  • Irish: partanaigineas — virgin birth