viviparous
English
Alternative forms
- vivipartous (rare)
Etymology
From Latin vīviparus, from vīvus (“alive, life, living”) + pariō (“give birth, produce, bring forth”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /vɪˈvɪpəɹəs/
Adjective
viviparous (not comparable)
- (of an animal or animal species) Being born alive, as are most mammals, some reptiles, and a few fish (as opposed to being laid as an egg and subsequently hatching, as do most birds and many other species).
- (of a plant or plant species) Arising from an embryo that develops from the outset (rather than from a true seed that then germinates).
Antonyms
- (of an animal): oviparous
Derived terms
Derived terms
Translations
of an animal
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