embryo-
combining form of Gr. ἔµβρυον embryon, as in ˌembryoˈcardia, a condition of the heart in which its sounds resemble those of the fœtal heart (now rare); ˌembryoˈplastic a., pertaining to or participating in the formation of the embryo (Cent. Dict. 1889); ˈembryoscope, an instrument for examining embryos; so ˌembryoˈscopic a. (Cent. Dict. 1889); embryoˈtoxic a., poisonous to an embryo; hence ˌembryotoˈxicity.
| 1890 Gould New Med. Dict. 142/2 Embryocardia,..an affection of the heart, characterized by a heart-beat like that of a foetus. 1908 Osler & McCrae Syst. Med. IV. 275 Tachycardia with embryocardia exhibits phenomena which correspond to a prolonged series of extrasystole. 1959 J. R. Christian in A. A. Luisada Cardiology II. iii. 147 The rapid rate and equal intensity of the sounds in the new-born produce a tic-tac type of rhythm or embryocardia, similar to that heard in the fetus. |
| 1889 Geddes & Thomson Evol. Sex viii. 103 The minute area of formative protoplasm [that] the observers of to-day look down upon through their embryoscopes. |
| 1968 Nature 22 June 1164/2 (heading) Embryotoxic effect of l-asparaginase. 1972 Ibid. 4 Feb. 279/1 Aflatoxin B1..is embryotoxic to rats and mice, and acutely toxic to guinea-pigs. 1977 Lancet 14 May 1049/2 The embryotoxic action attributed to dioxin is impressive: in the Hue district the stillborn index (1969–70) was 48.5%, and congenital malformations have been observed in 7.4% of children born in the same period. |
| 1971 Nature 25 June 483/3 Dioxin..when fed to pregnant rats causes embryotoxicity at doses of 0.000125 mg/kg. 1985 Biochem. Pharmacol. XXXIV. 529 The embryotoxicity of two ethanol metabolites..have [sic] been examined in cultured 10-day Albino Wistar rat embryos. |