Definition

The state in which a species has male and female reproductive organs in separate individuals, rather than in the same individual.

Example

Many plants exhibit dioecism, meaning that some plants are male and others are female.

Conversation

I just learned about dioecism in my biology class.

Oh really? What does that mean exactly?

It refers to plants that have separate male and female individuals.

That's interesting! I didn’t know plants could be like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dioecism is formed from "dioikos" (Greek, meaning household or dwelling) and "-ism" (a suffix used to form nouns indicating a practice or condition). The term refers to a biological condition where male and female reproductive organs are found in separate individuals, akin to separate households.

Memory Tip

Think of 'dioikos' meaning 'household' to remember that dioecism refers to the separation of male and female reproductive organs, like separate households.

Visually Confused Words