parthenogenesis

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

parthenogenesis
    n 1: human conception without fertilization by a man [syn:
         {parthenogenesis}, {parthenogeny}, {virgin birth}]
    2: process in which an unfertilized egg develops into a new
       individual; common among insects and some other arthropods
       [syn: {parthenogenesis}, {parthenogeny}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

parthenogenesis \par`the*no*gen"e*sis\
   (p[aum]r`th[-e]*n[-o]*j[e^]n"[-e]*s[i^]s), n. [Gr. parqe`nos
   a virgin + E. genesis.]
   1. (Biol.) The production of new individuals from virgin
      females by means of ova which have the power of developing
      without the intervention of the male element; the
      production, without fertilization, of cells capable of
      germination. It is one of the phenomena of alternate
      generation. Cf. {Heterogamy}, and {Metagenesis}.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Bot.) The production of seed without fertilization,
      believed to occur through the nonsexual formation of an
      embryo extraneous to the embryonic vesicle.
      [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

22 Moby Thesaurus words for "parthenogenesis":
      abiogenesis, archigenesis, biogenesis, birth, blastogenesis,
      development, digenesis, epigenesis, eumerogenesis, generation,
      genesis, heterogenesis, histogenesis, homogenesis, isogenesis,
      merogenesis, metagenesis, monogenesis, orthogenesis, pangenesis,
      procreation, spontaneous generation