from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Viviparous \Vi*vip"a*rous\, a. [L. viviparus; vivus alive +
parere to bear, bring forth. Cf. {Viper}.] (Biol.)
Producing young in a living state, as most mammals, or as
those plants the offspring of which are produced alive,
either by bulbs instead of seeds, or by the seeds themselves
germinating on the plant, instead of falling, as they usually
do; -- opposed to {oviparous}.
[1913 Webster]
{Viviparous fish}. (Zool.) See {Embiotocoid}.
{Viviparous shell} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
operculated fresh-water gastropods belonging to
{Viviparus}, {Melantho}, and allied genera. Their young,
when born, have a well-developed spiral shell.
[1913 Webster]