n.
Pronunciation: m ī - ' ō -s ə s
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek mei ō sis diminution, from meioun to diminish, from mei ō n less; akin to Sanskrit m ī yate he diminishes
Date: 1550
1 : the presentation of a thing with underemphasis especially in order to achieve a greater effect : UNDERSTATEMENT
2 : the cellular process that results in the number of chromosomes in gamete-producing cells being reduced to one half and that involves a reduction division in which one of each pair of homologous chromosomes passes to each daughter cell and a mitotic division ― compare MITOSIS
– mei · ot · ic \ m ī - ' ä-tik \ adjective
– mei · ot · i · cal · ly \ -ti-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb