either of a pair of organisms or gametes undergoing conjugation
conjugant in American English
(ˈkɑndʒəgənt)
noun
either of a pair of one-celled organisms, or of gametes, in the process of conjugation
conjugant in American English
(ˈkɑndʒəɡənt)
noun
Biology
either of two organisms participating in the process of conjugation
Word origin
[1905–10; conjug(ate) + -ant]This word is first recorded in the period 1905–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: airway, cadre, persona, revolving door, stabilizer-ant is a suffix forming adjectives and nouns from verbs, occurring originally in Frenchand Latin loanwords (pleasant; constant; servant) and productive in English on this model; -ant has the general sense “characterized by or serving in the capacity of” that namedby the stem (ascendant; pretendant), esp. in the formation of nouns denoting human agents in legal actions or otherformal procedures (tenant; defendant; applicant; contestant). In technical and commercial coinages, -ant is a suffix of nouns denoting impersonal physical agents (propellant; lubricant; deodorant). In general, -ant can be added only to bases of Latin origin, with a very few exceptions, as coolant