— meiotic /muy ot"ik/ , adj.
/muy oh"sis/ , n.
1. Cell Biol. part of the process of gamete formation, consisting of chromosome conjugation and two cell divisions, in the course of which the diploid chromosome number becomes reduced to the haploid. Cf. mitosis .
2. Rhet.
a. belittlement.
b. expressive understatement, esp. litotes.
[ 1580-90; meíosis a lessening, equiv. to meio-, var. s. of meioûn to lessen (deriv. of meíon less) + -sis -SIS ]