Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun meiosis

2 senses of meiosis

Sense 1
meiosis, miosis, reduction division -- ((genetics) cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms; the nucleus divides into four nuclei each containing half the chromosome number (leading to gametes in animals and spores in plants))
       => cell division, cellular division -- (the process in reproduction and growth by which a cell divides to form daughter cells)

Sense 2
litotes, meiosis -- (understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary); "saying `I was not a little upset' when you mean `I was very upset' is an example of litotes")
       => rhetorical device -- (a use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance))
       => understatement -- (a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said)