Word
embryo
Phoneticsem·bryo
US/ˈɛmbɹiˌoʊ/
UK/ˈɛmbɹɪˌəʊ/
Definitions
01early animal development
n. an animal or human in the very first stage of life, before it becomes a fetus or hatches from an egg.
n. an organism in the early stages of development before birth, hatching, or metamorphosis.
“The scientists studied how the embryo develops inside the egg over two weeks.”
“Research into the genetic markers of the embryo provides critical insights into the early stages of vertebrate development.”
Technical
Usage
In human medicine, the term is strictly used for the first eight weeks after fertilisation.
02part of a seed
n. the tiny part of a plant seed that can grow into a new plant.
n. the rudimentary plant contained within a seed, consisting of precursor tissues for leaves, stem, and root.
“If the embryo inside the seed is damaged, the plant will not grow.”
“The botanical study focused on how the embryo remains dormant until environmental conditions trigger germination.”
Technical
03early stage of an idea
n. the very beginning of an idea, plan, or project before it is fully formed.
n. the rudimentary or beginning stage of a concept, organisation, or project.
“The global company started as a small embryo of an idea in a garage.”
“The revolutionary policy was still in embryo when the administration changed, leading to its eventual abandonment.”
Literary · Formal
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'in embryo' to mean undeveloped or in the planning stages.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“All human embryos initially have identical reproductive tissues that later develop into genitals.” “Rachel, who was 39 at the time, needed a sperm donor so her eggs could be fertilised in a lab to create an embryo which could then be implanted into her uterus.” “In a study published this week in the journal Current Biology , scientists report that the formin gene can control whether snail embryos begin developing a left- or right-curled shell.” Etymology
Borrowed from Medieval Latin embryō, from Ancient Greek ἔμβρυον (émbruon, “fetus”), from ἐν (en, “in-”) + βρύω (brúō, “to grow, swell”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/embryo