Definition

Adjective: Not having undergone fertilization; specifically, not having had a male reproductive cell (like sperm) unite with a female reproductive cell (like an egg) to initiate the development of a new individual.

Usage

The adjective "unfertilized" is used to describe a cell, typically an egg or ovum, that has not been combined with a male gamete. It is most commonly applied in biological, agricultural, and reproductive contexts.

Examples

• The hen laid an unfertilized egg, which is the kind typically sold in grocery stores for eating.
• In many species, unfertilized eggs simply degenerate and are not viable.
• The beekeeper explained that drones hatch from unfertilized eggs.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific Context: In entomology, the process where offspring develop from unfertilized eggs is called parthenogenesis.
  • Some species of aphids can reproduce rapidly by producing clones from unfertilized eggs.

Variants and Related Words

• Unfertilised (adj): The British English spelling variant of "unfertilized."
• Fertilized (adj): The direct antonym, meaning an egg or seed that has been combined with male genetic material.
• Infertile (adj): While sometimes used loosely as a synonym, "infertile" more broadly means incapable of producing offspring and can apply to land, individuals, or eggs. An unfertilized egg is necessarily infertile, but an infertile egg may have been fertilized yet failed to develop.

Synonyms

• Non-fertilized
• Unimpregnated (less common, often used in a broader biological sense)

Antonyms

• Fertilized
• Impregnated
• Fecundated (technical)

Related Phrases/Concepts

• Unfertilized egg / ovum: The most common collocation, referring specifically to the female gamete.
• Unfertilized soil: While a valid phrase meaning soil not treated with fertilizer, this is a distinct meaning from the primary biological definition. It uses "fertilize" in the agricultural sense of adding nutrients.

Adjective

1. not having been fertilized
   • an unfertilized egg