meiosis

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   cell division in which one diploid cell undergoes two divisions to produce four haploid cells

   Meiosis halves the chromosome number when egg or sperm cells are formed.

2. 2
   noun

   a rhetorical understatement that makes something seem smaller or less important than it is

   Calling the Atlantic Ocean a pond is an example of meiosis.

From Ancient Greek meiosis ("a lessening"), from meioun ("to lessen"). The biological term, introduced in 1905, refers to the reduction of chromosome number; the rhetorical sense retains the older idea of making something seem less.

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