ontogenesis

on·to·gen·e·sis
O1N1T1O1G2E1N1E1S1I1S1

noun

The generation and development of an individual organism from fertilization to adulthood.

Similar
ontogenygrowthgrowingmaturationdevelopment
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Meanings

nounontogenesis (countable and uncountable, plural ontogeneses)

plural ontogeneses

  1. countableuncountableThe generation and development of an individual organism from fertilization to adulthood.

    Synonyms: ontogeny

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe generation and development of an individual organism from fertilization to adulthood.

Similar
ontogeny

More synonyms by meaning

noun(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

Similar
growthgrowingmaturationdevelopmentontogeny
Broader
organic processbiological process
Also see
developmentgrowinggrowthmaturationontogeny

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From onto- + -genesis.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech ontogeneze
  • ontogenezedevelopment of an individual organism
Dutch ontogenese
  • ontogenesedevelopment of an individual organism
Estonian ontogenees, isendiareng
  • ontogeneesdevelopment of an individual organism
  • isendiarengdevelopment of an individual organism
Finnish yksilönkehitys, ontogeneesi
  • yksilönkehitysdevelopment of an individual organism
  • ontogeneesidevelopment of an individual organism
  • ontogeniadevelopment of an individual organism
French ontogénie, ontogenèse
  • ontogéniedevelopment of an individual organism
  • ontogenèsedevelopment of an individual organism
German Ontogenie, Ontogenese
  • Ontogeniedevelopment of an individual organism
  • Ontogenesedevelopment of an individual organism
Hebrew אוֹנְטוֹגֶנֶזָה
  • אוֹנְטוֹגֶנֶזָהdevelopment of an individual organism
Hungarian egyedfejlődés, ontogenezis
  • egyedfejlődésdevelopment of an individual organism
  • ontogenezisdevelopment of an individual organism
Irish ontaigineas
  • ontaigineasdevelopment of an individual organism
Italian ontogenesi
  • ontogenesidevelopment of an individual organism
Polish ontogeneza
  • ontogenezadevelopment of an individual organism
Slovak ontogenéza, ontogénia
  • ontogenézadevelopment of an individual organism
  • ontogéniadevelopment of an individual organism
Spanish ontogenia
  • ontogeniadevelopment of an individual organism

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

tonogenesis
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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