%gamy%

n. 1. (biology) reproduction by the union or fusion of two differing gametes (especially differing in size). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Pref. apo- + Gr. &unr_; marriage. ] (Bot.) The formation of a bud in place of a fertilized ovule or oöspore. De Bary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Auto- + Gr. &unr_; marriage. ] (Bot.) Self-fertilization, the fertilizing pollen being derived from the same blossom as the pistil acted upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. bigamie, fr. L. bigamus twice married; bis twice + Gr. &unr_; marriage; prob. akin to Skt. jāmis related, and L. gemini twins, the root meaning to bind, join: cf. F. bigamie. Cf. Digamy. ] (Law) The offense of marrying one person when already legally married to another. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It is not strictly correct to call this offense bigamy: it more properly denominated polygamy, i. e., having a plurality of wives or husbands at once, and in several statutes in the United States the offense is classed under the head of polygamy.

In the canon law bigamy was the marrying of two virgins successively, or one after the death of the other, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders, and for holding ecclesiastical offices. Shakespeare uses the word in the latter sense. Blackstone. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

Base declension and loathed bigamy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. koino`s common + ga`mos marriage. ] The state of a community which permits promiscuous sexual intercourse among its members, as in certain societies practicing communism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Chalaza + -gamy, as in polygamy. ] (Bot.) A process of fecundation in which the pollen tube penetrates to the embryosac through the tissue of the chalaza, instead of entering through the micropyle. It was originally discovered by Treub in Casuarina, and has since been found to occur regularly in the families Betulaceæ and Juglandaceæ. Partial chalazogamy is found in Ulmus, the tube here penetrating the nucleus midway between the chalaza and micropyle. -- Chal`a*zo*gam"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; koino`s common + &unr_; marraige. ] The state of a community which permits promiscuous sexual intercourse among its members; -- as in certain primitive tribes or communistic societies. [ Written also cenogamy. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; second + &unr_; wedding, marriage. ] A second marriage, after the death of the first husband of wife; -- in distinction from bigamy, as defined in the old canon law. See Bigamy. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; in two, asunder + &unr_; marriage. ] (Bot.) The condition of certain species of plants, in which the stamens and pistil do not mature simultaneously, so that these plants can never fertilize themselves. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; a second marriage; di- = di`s- twice + &unr_; marriage. Cf. Bigamy. ] Act, or state, of being twice married; deuterogamy. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Marriage only within the tribe; a custom restricting a man in his choice of a wife to the tribe to which he belongs; -- opposed to exogamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The custom, or tribal law, which prohibits marriage between members of the same tribe; marriage outside of the tribe; -- opposed to endogamy. Lubbock. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. (Cookery) Having the flavor of game, esp. of game kept uncooked till near the condition of tainting; high-flavored. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Sporting) Showing an unyielding spirit to the last; plucky; furnishing sport; as, a gamy trout. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Same as gamey. [ PJC ]

-- gam"i*ness, n.

n. [ Gr. &unr_; neighbor + &unr_; marriage. ] (Bot.) Fertilization of flowers by pollen from other flowers on the same plant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Heterogamous. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Bot.) The process of fertilization in plants by an indirect or circuitous method; -- opposed to orthogamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) That form of alternate generation in which two kinds of sexual generation, or a sexual and a parthenogenetic generation, alternate; -- in distinction from metagenesis, where sexual and asexual generations alternate. Claus & Sedgwick. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The condition of being homogamous. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. misogamie. ] Hatred of marriage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. monogamia, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. monogamie. ] 1. Single marriage; marriage with but one person, husband or wife, at the same time; -- opposed to polygamy. Also, one marriage only during life; -- opposed to deuterogamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) State of being paired with a single mate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Octo- + Gr. &unr_; marriage. ] A marrying eight times. [ R. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ortho- + Gr. &unr_; marriage. ] (Bot.) Direct fertilization in plants, as when the pollen fertilizing the ovules comes from the stamens of the same blossom; -- opposed to heterogamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; cf. F. polygamie. ] 1. The having of a plurality of wives or husbands at the same time; usually, the marriage of a man to more than one woman, or the practice of having several wives, at the same time; -- opposed to monogamy; as, the nations of the East practiced polygamy. See the Note under Bigamy, and cf. Polyandry. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The state or habit of having more than one mate. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Bot.) The condition or state of a plant which bears both perfect and unisexual flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. trigamia, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. trigamie. See Trigamous. ] The act of marrying, or the state of being married, three times; also, the offense of having three husbands or three wives at the same time. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. xe`nos strange, foreign + ga`mos marriage. ] (Bot.) Cross fertilization. [ 1913 Webster ]