prophase

P3R1O1P3H4A1S1E1

noun

The first stage of mitosis, during which chromatin condenses to form the chromosomes.

OriginEnglish phase ← New Latin phasis ← Ancient Greek φάσις (phásis) →
UncommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounprophase (countable and uncountable, plural prophases)

plural prophases

  1. countableuncountableThe first stage of mitosis, during which chromatin condenses to form the chromosomes.
  2. countableuncountableThe first stage of meiosis.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
premetaphase

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  3. Proto-Indo-European*pró
  4. Ancient Greekπρό (pró)
  5. Englishpro-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂nyéti
  8. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáňňō
  9. Ancient Greekφᾰ(ν)- (phă(n)-)
  10. Ancient Greekφάσις (phásis)
  11. New Latinphasis
  12. Englishphase
  13. Englishprophase

From pro- + phase.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan profase
  • profasethe first stage of mitosis
Czech profáze
  • profázethe first stage of mitosis
Finnish profaasi, profaasi
  • profaasithe first stage of mitosis
  • profaasithe first stage of meiosis
French prophase
  • prophasethe first stage of mitosis
German Prophase
  • Prophasethe first stage of mitosis
Hungarian profázis
  • profázisthe first stage of mitosis
Indonesian profase
  • profasethe first stage of mitosis
Italian profase
  • profasethe first stage of mitosis
Malay profasa
  • profasathe first stage of mitosis
Polish profaza, profaza
  • profazathe first stage of mitosis
  • profazathe first stage of meiosis
Portuguese prófase
  • prófasethe first stage of mitosis
Romanian profază, profază
  • profazăthe first stage of mitosis
  • profazăthe first stage of meiosis
Spanish profase
  • profasethe first stage of mitosis
Tagalog mulyugto, mulyugto
  • mulyugtothe first stage of mitosis
  • mulyugtothe first stage of meiosis
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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