antherozoid

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   botany: a motile male gamete produced in an antheridium by algae, bryophytes, ferns, and certain other plants

   A film of water allows the fern's antherozoid to swim toward the egg.

Formed from Greek antheros, 'flowery,' + zoion, 'animal,' + -oid, 'resembling.' Nineteenth-century botanists used the name because the motile male cell appeared animal-like; antherozooid is a historical spelling.

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