Definition

1. Noun:
   • The female reproductive cell; the female gamete: An egg cell is a specialized haploid cell produced by female organisms, capable of fusing with a male gamete (sperm) during fertilization to form a new organism.

Usage

• The term "egg cell" is used in biological and medical contexts to refer specifically to the female gamete in animals, including humans.
• It is a formal, scientific term. In everyday conversation, especially regarding humans, the simpler term "egg" is more common.
• It is typically used as a countable noun (e.g., an egg cell, egg cells).

Examples

• Noun:
  • During ovulation, a mature egg cell is released from the ovary.
  • The sperm must penetrate the outer layer of the egg cell for fertilization to occur.
  • In vitro fertilization involves combining an egg cell and sperm cell outside the body.

Advanced Usage

• "Donor egg cell": An egg cell provided by one woman (the donor) for use in another woman's fertility treatment.
  • The couple used a donor egg cell to conceive.
• "Egg cell donation": The process of giving one's egg cells for use in assisted reproduction.
  • She considered egg cell donation to help others start a family.

Variants and Related Words

• Egg (n): The common, less formal term for an egg cell, especially in non-scientific contexts. Also refers to the reproductive body laid by female birds, reptiles, etc.
  • A human egg is visible only under a microscope.
• Ovum (n): A formal synonym for egg cell, often used in scientific literature. The plural is .
  • The ovum contains half the genetic material needed for an embryo.
• Oocyte (n): A cell in an early stage of egg cell development; an immature egg cell.
  • The primary oocyte will undergo meiosis to become a mature egg cell.

Synonyms

• Female gamete: The precise biological term for a reproductive cell.
• Ovum: A direct synonym used in technical contexts.

Related Phrases

• Fertilized egg cell: An egg cell that has successfully fused with a sperm cell, forming a zygote.
  • The fertilized egg cell began to divide.
• Egg cell quality: A term used in fertility medicine to describe the health and viability of egg cells.
  • The doctor discussed how age can affect egg cell quality.

Noun

1. the female reproductive cell; the female gamete