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Biology vocabulary · Animal Biology and Physiology

Gamete

Meaning in biology, with examples

/ˈɡæmiːt/nounCommon term

In biology, gamete means: A reproductive cell, such as a sperm or egg cell, that carries half the normal number of chromosomes. Two gametes join during fertilization to form a zygote.

In Turkish: gamet, üreme hücresi, eşey hücresi

How it is used

Gametes are haploid (n), while body cells are diploid (2n). In animals they are produced by meiosis. In flowering plants, the male gametes are carried in pollen. Related words: fertilization, zygote, haploid, sex cell.

Example sentences

  1. Human gametes contain 23 chromosomes each.

  2. Errors in meiosis can produce a gamete with an extra chromosome.

Common collocations

  • male gamete
  • female gamete
  • gamete formation
  • haploid gamete
  • fusion of gametes
  • meiosisA type of cell division that produces four cells, each with half the usual number of chromosomes. It makes the sex cells (gametes) and creates genetic variety.
  • sexual reproductionA form of reproduction in which two gametes, usually from two parents, fuse to form a new individual with a unique mix of genes.
  • chromosomeA long, tightly packed structure of DNA and proteins that carries many genes. Human body cells normally have 46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs.
  • offspringThe young produced by an animal or plant; its children. The same word is used for one young or for many.

More terms: Animal Biology and Physiology

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