Associations to the word «Preformation»

Wiktionary

PREFORMATION, noun. Prior formation.
PREFORMATION, noun. (biology) (historical) The theory that organisms are fully developed in the form of an egg or seed, and just increase in size (as opposed to epigenesis.

Dictionary definition

PREFORMATION, noun. A theory (popular in the 18th century and now discredited) that an individual develops by simple enlargement of a tiny fully formed organism (a homunculus) that exists in the germ cell.

Wise words

Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.
William Shakespeare