embryo

embryo — noun

1. a living thing at the earliest stage of its growth, before it is born or hatches

1.nounB2
Definition

a living thing at the earliest stage of its growth, before it is born or hatches from an egg, or before a plant seed begins to sprout — in humans, this early period lasts roughly eight weeks from the moment of fertilisation

Example

The embryo develops inside the mother for about eight weeks before it becomes a foetus.

collocation: embryo develops into foetus

Lakan's doctor showed him the embryo on the ultrasound screen.

Common collocations
  • embryo develops
  • human embryo
  • embryo stage
  • embryo transfer
  • embryo research
  • plant embryo
Synonyms
  • zygote

    refers to the single fertilised cell before it begins dividing; earlier stage than embryo

  • foetus

    used for later stages of development in mammals; follows the embryo stage

  • germ

    used mainly for the earliest stage of a seed or idea; broader and less precise than embryo

Antonyms
  • adult

    a fully developed, mature organism

Usage Note

Frequently used attributively (embryo development, embryo stage). In human pregnancy, the term embryo is used for the first eight weeks after fertilisation, after which it is called a foetus.

Common Mistakes

The foetus is only two weeks old.
The embryo is only two weeks old.
In humans, the developing baby is called an embryo for the first eight weeks, and a foetus after that.

2. something that is in its earliest, most basic form and has not yet been fully de

2.nounC1
Definition

something that is in its earliest, most basic form and has not yet been fully developed — used especially of ideas, plans, creative works, or organisations

Example

The film began as the embryo of a script on Tara's laptop.

figurative: embryo of a script

The embryo of a new training programme existed in the notes Eitan had scribbled.

construction: the embryo of [something]

Common collocations
  • in embryo
  • embryo of a plan
  • embryo of an idea
  • still an embryo
Synonyms
  • rudiment

    more formal and technical; implies the basic building blocks of something

  • prototype

    a working early version, not just an idea; more concrete than embryo

  • seed

    suggests potential for future growth; often used with ideas or feelings

Antonyms

Usage Note

Often used in the fixed phrase in embryo (meaning 'in an early, undeveloped state'). Subject is typically an abstract noun such as idea, plan, project, design, or concept.

Common Mistakes

The new law is an embryo.
The new law exists in embryo.
The noun is most naturally used in the phrase in embryo or as embryo of [something], not as a standalone countable noun.
Idioms

in embryo

idiom

Something that is in an early stage of development and not yet complete.

The plan for the new park was still in embryo.

Maya's business idea existed in embryo for years.

embryo — combining form

Word family

  • embryonic
    adjectiveC1
  • embryology
    nounC1
  • embryologist
    nounC1
  • embryological
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Embryo, foetus, and zygote describe successive stages of early development in animals, especially humans. A zygote is the single fertilised cell — the very first stage before any cell division. An embryo is the developing organism after the zygote begins dividing, up to about eight weeks in humans. A foetus is the later stage, from about eight weeks until birth, when organs and body structures are more clearly formed. Germ overlaps with embryo only in botanical or very general contexts — a plant germ is the embryo inside a seed, and 'in germ' can mean 'in its earliest form'. Outside biology, germ is broader and less precise than embryo, while foetus and zygote are rarely used figuratively.

embryo ↗foetuszygotegerm ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in embryo
  • embryo of [something]
  • embryo develops into
  • human embryo

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word embryo comes from the Greek embryon, a combination of en- (inside) and bryein (to swell or be full). In Greek, embryon referred literally to 'that which grows inside' — the unborn young. The term passed into Latin as embryo, then into English in the 16th century through medical writings. The figurative sense of 'an undeveloped beginning' appeared in English around the 17th century.