ovism
/ˈəʊvɪz(ə)m/Biology (historical )
noun
The theory that the ovum holds all the material necessary for development of the embryo, the sperm providing only a stimulus to initiate the process.
- See note s.v. ovist..
Origin
Late 19th century; earliest use found in The New Sydenham Society's Lexicon of Medicine and the Allied Sciences. From classical Latin ōvum ovum + -ism, probably after French ovisme. Compare Italian ovismo.