Synonyms

amitosis

American

[am-i-toh-sis, ey-mahy-] / ˌæm ɪˈtoʊ sɪs, ˌeɪ maɪ- /

noun

Biology.

the direct method of cell division, characterized by simple cleavage of the nucleus without the formation of chromosomes.

amitosis British

/ ˌæmɪˈtɒtɪk, ˌæmɪˈtəʊsɪs /

noun

an unusual form of cell division in which the nucleus and cytoplasm divide by constriction without the formation of chromosomes; direct cell division

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

amitotic adjective
amitotically adverb

Etymology

Origin of amitosis

First recorded in 1890–95; a- ⁶ + mitosis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This explanation is in harmony with the occurrence of typical mitosis in active tissue cells on the one hand, and of amitosis in the relatively quiescent primary germ cells on the other.

From Project Gutenberg

The other method, “amitosis,” or direct division, is unaccompanied by any visible mechanism and is of relatively exceptional occurrence.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023