metagenesis

noun

meta·​gen·​e·​sis ˌme-tə-ˈje-nə-səs How to pronounce metagenesis (audio)
: alternation of generations in animals
especially : regular alternation of a sexual and an asexual generation
metagenetic
ˌme-tə-jə-ˈne-tik How to pronounce metagenesis (audio)
adjective

Word History

Etymology

meta- + genesis, probably after metamorphosis

Note: The term was apparently introduced by the English biologist Richard Owen (1804-92) in On Parthenogenesis, or the Successive Production of Procreating Individuals from a Single Ovum (London, 1849), p. 22

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of metagenesis was in 1849

Rhymes for metagenesis

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Browse Nearby Words

metagelatin
metagenesis
metagenetic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Metagenesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metagenesis. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

metagenesis

noun
meta·​gen·​e·​sis -ˈjen-ə-səs How to pronounce metagenesis (audio)
plural metageneses -ˌsēz How to pronounce metagenesis (audio)
: alternation of generations
especially : regular alternation of a sexual and an asexual generation
metagenetic
-jə-ˈnet-ik How to pronounce metagenesis (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on metagenesis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about metagenesis

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