meiosis

Meaning

Noun

• A figure of speech whereby something is made to seem smaller or less important than it actually is.
• Cell division of a diploid cell into four haploid cells, which develop to produce gametes.

Origin

• From Ancient Greek μείωσις ("a lessening"), from μειόω, from μείων. and as maiosis in an paper in the Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science, with the spelling corrected on etymological grounds later that year.