Standard Lemma guide

totipotency

noun · 2 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The ability of a cell to produce differentiated cells upon division

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the ability of a cell to give rise to unlike cells and so to develop a new organism or part

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • animal cells lose their totipotency at an early stage in embryonic development

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: totipotence

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ability

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 全能性 (quánnéngxìng) — ability to produce differentiated cells on division
  • French: totipotence — ability to produce differentiated cells on division
  • Italian: totipotenza — ability to produce differentiated cells on division
  • Portuguese: totipotência — ability to produce differentiated cells on division