Definition

1. Noun:
   • Union of sperm and egg in sexual reproduction: The process in which a male gamete (sperm) and a female gamete (egg) fuse to form a zygote, initiating the development of a new organism.
   • Reproduction involving the union or fusion of a male and a female gamete: A formal term for sexual reproduction, emphasizing the essential act of gamete fusion.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Amphimixis is a fundamental biological process that ensures genetic diversity.
  • The textbook explained that amphimixis results in a diploid zygote.

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in formal, scientific contexts such as biology, genetics, and embryology.
• It is often contrasted with apomixis, which is reproduction without gamete fusion.

Variants and Related Words

• Sexual reproduction (n): The general biological process of producing offspring via the fusion of gametes.
• Syngamy (n): A synonym specifically for the fusion of the gametes themselves.
• Fertilization (n): The common term for the process where a sperm cell unites with an egg cell.

Synonyms

• Syngamy
• Fertilization (in its specific biological sense)
• Gamete fusion

Related Phrases

• Process of amphimixis: Used to describe the sequence of events leading to and including gamete union.

Noun

1. union of sperm and egg in sexual reproduction
2. reproduction involving the union or fusion of a male and a female gamete