spore

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

spore, n. [Gr. a sowing, seed, from to sow. Cf. Sperm.].

•  One of the minute grains in flowerless plants, which are analogous to seeds, as serving to reproduce the species.  [1913 Webster]

  " Spores are produced differently in the different classes of cryptogamous plants, and as regards their nature are often so unlike that they have only their minuteness in common. The peculiar spores of diatoms (called auxospores) increase in size, and at length acquire a siliceous coating, thus becoming new diatoms of full size. Compare Macrospore, Microspore, Oöspore, Resting spore, Sphærospore, Swarmspore, Tetraspore, Zoöspore, and Zygospore."  [1913 Webster]
•  A minute grain or germ; a small, round or ovoid body, formed in certain organisms, and by germination giving rise to a new organism; as, the reproductive spores of bacteria, etc.  [1913 Webster]

Spore formation. (a) (Biol) A mode of reproduction resembling multiple fission, common among Protozoa, in which the organism breaks up into a number of pieces, or spores, each of which eventually develops into an organism like the parent form. Balfour. (b) The formation of reproductive cells or spores, as in the growth of bacilli.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

spore, n.
1 a specialized reproductive cell of many plants and micro-organisms.
2 these collectively.

Etymology

mod.L spora f. Gk spora sowing, seed f. speiro sow

THESAURUS

spore

adenovirus, aerobe, aerobic bacteria, amoeba, anaerobe, anaerobic bacteria, bacillus, bacteria, bacterium, basidium, bug, coccus, cystocarp, disease-producing microorganism, echovirus, enterovirus, filterable virus, fungus, germ, gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, macrospore, megaspore, microbe, microorganism, microsporangium, microspore, mold, nonfilterable virus, pathogen, picornavirus, planospore, protozoa, protozoon, reovirus, rhinovirus, rickettsia, sorus, spirillum, spirochete, sporangium, sporocarp, sporocyst, sporocyte, sporophore, sporophyte, sporule, staphylococcus, streptococcus, swarm spore, trypanosome, vibrio, virus, zoospore, zygospore

ROGET THESAURUS

spore

Pulverulence

N powderiness, pulverulence, sandiness, efflorescence, friability, powder, dust, sand, shingle, sawdust, grit, meal, bran, flour, farina, rice, paddy, spore, sporule, crumb, seed, grain, particle, limature, filings, debris, detritus, tailings, talus slope, scobs, magistery, fine powder, flocculi, smoke, cloud of dust, cloud of sand, cloud of smoke, puff of smoke, volume of smoke, sand storm, dust storm, pulverization, comminution, attenuation, granulation, disintegration, subaction, contusion, trituration, levigation, abrasion, detrition, multure, limitation, tripsis, filing, mill, arrastra, gristmill, grater, rasp, file, mortar and pestle, nutmeg grater, teeth, grinder, grindstone, kern, quern, koniology, powdery, pulverulent, granular, mealy, floury, farinaceous, branny, furfuraceous, flocculent, dusty, sandy, sabulous, psammous, arenose, arenarious, arenaceous, gritty, efflorescent, impalpable, lentiginous, lepidote, sabuline, sporaceous, sporous, pulverizable, friable, crumbly, shivery, pulverized, attrite, in pieces.