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== Egg Cell ==

An '''Egg Cell''', also known as an '''Ovum''' (plural '''Ova'''), is the female reproductive cell or [[gamete]] in most anisogamous organisms (organisms that reproduce sexually with a larger, "female" gamete and a smaller, "male" one). The term is used when the female gamete is not capable of movement (non-motile). If the female gamete is capable of movement, it is often referred to as an [[oocyte]].

=== Pronunciation ===

* Egg Cell: /ɛɡ sɛl/
* Ovum: /ˈoʊvəm/

=== Etymology ===

The term "Egg Cell" is derived from the Old Norse word "egg", which means "bird's egg, ovum, testicle", and the Old English word "cella", meaning "small room". "Ovum" is derived from the Latin word "ovum" which means "egg".

=== Related Terms ===

* [[Gamete]]: A mature haploid male or female germ cell that is able to unite with another of the opposite sex in sexual reproduction to form a zygote.
* [[Oocyte]]: A cell in an animal ovary that may undergo meiotic division to form an ovum.
* [[Zygote]]: The cell formed by the union of two gametes, especially a fertilized ovum before cleavage.
* [[Fertilization]]: The action or process of fertilizing an egg, female animal, or plant, involving the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

=== See Also ===

* [[Sperm Cell]]
* [[Reproductive System]]
* [[Sexual Reproduction]]

[[Category:Medical Dictionary]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Reproductive System]]

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