adj. Biology Having the male and female reproductive organs, especially flowers, on different individuals. [From New Latin Dioecia, former class name : DI-1 + Greek oikiā, a dwelling; see weik-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] di·oecism (-sĭz′əm) n. dioe′cy (-sē) n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.