gamete

noun gam·ete \ˈga-ˌmēt also gə-ˈmēt\

: one of the cells that join together to begin making a person or other creature

Full Definition of GAMETE

: a mature male or female germ cell usually possessing a haploid chromosome set and capable of initiating formation of a new diploid individual by fusion with a gamete of the opposite sex

— ga·met·ic \gə-ˈme-tik, -ˈmē-\ adjective

— ga·met·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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Origin of GAMETE

New Latin gameta, from Greek gametēs husband, from gamein to marry

First Known Use: 1886

Other Cell Biology Terms

cytology, vacuole, zygote

Rhymes with GAMETE

accrete, aesthete, afreet, athlete, backbeat, backseat, backstreet, bedsheet, bench seat, big beat, bolete, box pleat, box seat, break beat, broadsheet, browbeat, buckwheat, bystreet, call sheet, car seat, cheat sheet, clipsheet, cloud street, cold feet, compete, compleat, complete, conceit, concrete, crabmeat, crib sheet, deadbeat, dead heat, dead meat, deceit, defeat, delete, deplete, discreet, discrete, disseat, downbeat, drop seat, drumbeat, dutch treat, effete, elite, en suite, entreat, escheat, excrete, facete, Fleet Street, fly sheet, forcemeat, foresheet, four-peat, groundsheet, hard wheat, heartbeat, heat-treat, helpmeet, hoofbeat, hot seat, house seat, ice sheet, ill-treat, jump seat, kick pleat, love seat, mainsheet, Main Street, maltreat, mesquite, mincemeat, mistreat, offbeat, Ossete, petite, pink sheet, preheat, rap sheet, receipt, recheat, red heat, red meat, red wheat, regreet, repeat, replete, retreat, scratch sheet, secrete, side street, slip-sheet, soft wheat, spreadsheet, stand treat, swap meet, sweetmeat, tear sheet, terete, three-peat, through street, time sheet, unmeet, unseat, upbeat, vegete, volkslied, white heat

Medical Dictionary

gamete

noun ga·mete \ˈgam-ˌēt also gə-ˈmēt\

Medical Definition of GAMETE

: a mature male or female germ cell usually possessing a haploid chromosome set and capable of initiating formation of a new diploid individual by fusion with a gamete of the opposite sex—called also sex cell

—ga·met·ic \gə-ˈmet-ik, -ˈmēt-\ adjective

—ga·met·i·cal·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb