gemelliparous

English

Etymology

From Latin gemellipara f, from gemellus (“twin”) + parere (“to bear, produce”).

Adjective

gemelliparous (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Producing twins
   • 1838, Joel Samuel Polack, New Zealand:

     The cow whale is not gemelliparous, and after incubation are supposed to carry the foetus twelve months ; some few have been found with twins, but it is rare ; the lacteal aliment is of a pure white colour.

   • 1915, The Biological Bulletin:

     He further considers it probable that “specific polyembryony in the Dasypodidae began by the formation of a set of twins, perhaps at first a sporadic case of gemelliparous development such as probably occurs in the production of duplicate twins in the human species.

Related terms

• gemelliparity