klepton

K5L1E1P3T1O1N1
UK/ˈklɛptɒn/

noun

A species that requires input from another biological taxon (normally from a species which is closely related to the kleptonic species) to complete its reproductive cycle.

OriginAncient Greek κλέπτ(ης) →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounklepton (plural kleptons or klepta)

plural kleptons · plural klepta · alternative abbreviation kl.

  1. biologyA species that requires input from another biological taxon (normally from a species which is closely related to the kleptonic species) to complete its reproductive cycle.

    Most kleptons are female, and some don’t use the genes of the male at all, merely deploying his sperm to stimulate the egg into development without fertilising it.

    2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 157

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκλέπτ(ης)“thief”
  2. Englishklepton

From Ancient Greek κλέπτ(ης) (klépt(ēs), “thief”) + -on, after taxon.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Portuguese clépton
  • cléptonspecies that needs input from another taxon to reproduce
Spanish cleptón
  • cleptónspecies that needs input from another taxon to reproduce

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

plekton
Cite this entry
APA

klepton. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/klepton

MLA

“klepton.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/klepton. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “klepton,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/klepton.

Source: klepton on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.