Definition of: parthenogenesis

(pär′thə·nō·jen′ə·sis) noun
1. Biol. Reproduction by means of unfertilized eggs, as in many rotifers and polyzoans.
2. Entomol. Production of a new individual from a virgin female without intervention of a male, as in plant lice and some hymenopters.
3. Bot. Reproduction from unfertilized seeds or spores, as in many algae and fungi. Also par′the·nog′e·ny (-noj′ə·nē). [<Gk. parthenos virgin + GENESIS]
—par′the·no·ge·net′ic (-jə·net′ik), par′the·no·gen′ic adjective
—par′the·no·ge·net′i·cal·ly adverb