Meaning & use
viviparous
Last updated
Giving birth to live young that develop within the mother's body, rather than laying eggs.
See it in a sentence
Most mammals are viviparous, nourishing their young through a placenta before birth.
Some species of sharks are viviparous, while others lay eggs.
A note on using this word
The term comes from Latin "vivus" (alive) and "parere" (to bring forth), and is a key concept in comparative biology.
Words with an opposite meaning
oviparous
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “viviparous”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.