Skip Navigation
Genetics Home Reference: your guide to understanding genetic conditions About   Site Map   Contact Us
 
Home A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine®
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q-R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y-Z

Embryo

Definition(s)

1 (archaic): A vertebrate at any stage of development prior to birth or hatching. 2: An animal in the early stages of growth and differentiation that are characterized by cleavage, the laying down of fundamental tissues, and the formation of primitive organs and organ systems; especially: the developing human individual from the time of implantation to the end of the eighth week after conception.

Definition from: Merriam-Webster's Medical DictionaryThis link leads to a site outside Genetics Home Reference. by Merriam-Webster Inc.

Having to do with an embryo, which is an early stage in the development of a plant or animal.

Definition from:  National Cancer Institute dictionaryThis link leads to a site outside Genetics Home Reference.

Related discussion in the Handbook

See also Understanding Medical Terminology.

 
Published: May 20, 2013