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

It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence. Sooner throw a pearl at hazard than an idle or useless word; and do not say a little in many words, but a great deal in a few.
Pythagoras