Definition

Describing a type of reproduction where organisms breed with others rather than themselves, leading to cross-fertilization.

Example

Many plants are allogamous, relying on cross-pollination to reproduce effectively.

Conversation

Did you know that some plants are allogamous?

Really? I always thought they just self-fertilized.

Nope, they actually rely on cross-fertilization to grow.

That’s so interesting! Nature has some cool tricks.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Allogamous → It is formed from "allo-" (from Greek "allos", meaning other or different) and "gamos" (from Greek "gamos", meaning marriage or union). The word describes a type of reproduction involving different individuals or species, hence the idea of 'other' unions.

Memory Tip

Think of 'other' ('allo-') and 'marriage' ('gamos') to remember that allogamous refers to unions or reproduction involving different individuals.

Visually Confused Words