noun
- the development of an individual organism from embryo to maturity
Usage: biology
Examples
- The ontogeny of a butterfly includes egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.
- Scientists study human ontogeny from conception through old age.
- The researcher compared the ontogeny of different mammalian species.
- Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny was once a popular biological theory.
- Understanding plant ontogeny helps farmers optimize growing conditions.
- The ontogeny of the nervous system is remarkably complex.