meiotic Definition

meiosis
noun meioses

1. biol.
A type of cell division in which four daughter nuclei are produced, each containing half the number of chromosomes of the parent nucleus and resulting in the formation of male and female gametes. Also called reduction.
2. rhetoric.
A less common term for litotes.

Derivative: meiotic
adj

Etymology: Early 20c in sense 1; 16c in sense 2: from Greek meion less.