mitosis
UK[mʌɪˈtəʊsɪs]US[maɪˈtoʊsɪs]
n
a type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth.
Morpheme Breakdown
mit
osis
mit
thread
osis
process or condition
Etymology
the term "mitosis" is a modern scientific coinage, derived from greek components to describe a biological process. the core element "mit-" originates from the greek word mitos, meaning "a thread," which vividly references the thread-like appearance of chromosomes as they condense and become visible during cell division. the suffix "-osis," a common formative in biological and medical terminology, denotes a process or condition. thus, the word's literal construction, "a threading process," elegantly captures the central visual and functional event of mitosis: the systematic separation of chromosomal threads into two identical sets.
Analysis
Structure: mit (thread) + osis (process or condition)
mit (from greek mitos, meaning "thread"); osis (a suffix from greek -ōsis, indicating a process, condition, or state).
Examples
during mitosis, the cell's nucleus divides to produce two genetically identical nuclei.
errors in mitosis can lead to cells with an abnormal number of chromosomes.
the biology teacher used a microscope to show the students the different stages of mitosis in an onion root tip.