Definition

Describing a type of fertilized egg that does not divide completely during early development due to the presence of a large amount of yolk.

Example

The meroblastic cleavage in the egg allows for the development of the embryo while retaining a significant yolk supply.

Conversation

Did you know that some eggs are described as meroblastic?

Really? I haven't heard that term before, what does it mean?

It refers to eggs that only undergo partial cleavage because of a lot of yolk.

That’s interesting! So, it affects how the embryo develops, right?

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Meroblastic → It is formed from "mero-" (from Greek "meros", meaning part) and "blastos" (from Greek "blastos", meaning germ or sprout). The term describes a type of cleavage in embryonic development where only a part of the egg is involved in forming the embryo, hence the meaning of partial development.

Memory Tip

Think of 'part' ('mero-') and 'germ' or 'sprout' ('blastos') to remember that 'meroblastic' refers to partial development in embryos.

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