What is the Greek meaning of word meiosis?

The Greek word "meiosis" comes from the verb "μειόω" (meioō), which means "to lessen", "to diminish", or "to make smaller". In the context of biology, meiosis specifically refers to the process of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in the formation of gametes (sex cells) with a haploid set of chromosomes.

The term "meiosis" was first introduced in 1887 by the German biologist August Weismann. He derived it from the Greek word "meiosis" to describe the process of cell division that occurs during the formation of gametes, where the chromosome number is halved from the diploid number (2n) to the haploid number (n).

The term accurately captures the essence of the process, as it highlights the reduction in chromosome number during meiosis. This reduction is crucial for sexual reproduction, as it allows the offspring to inherit a unique combination of chromosomes from both parents, contributing to genetic diversity and variation within a population.