monoecious
adjective
mon·oe·cious
mə-ˈnē-shəs 
mä-
variants
or less commonly monecious
1
: having pistillate and staminate flowers on the same plant
2
: having male and female sex organs in the same individual : hermaphroditic
Examples of monoecious in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Zucchini and summer squash are monoecious plants, which means that a single plant produces both male and female flowers.
—
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2025
Many select and heirloom varieties, however, are monoecious, meaning there are separate male and female flowers on each plant and the females must be pollinated to get a crop.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 9 May 2025
Most squash are monoecious which means male and female flowers are produced on the same plant.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2024
Most plant species are monoecious, meaning a single plant has both male and female parts.
—Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 12 July 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2025
Many select and heirloom varieties, however, are monoecious, meaning there are separate male and female flowers on each plant and the females must be pollinated to get a crop.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 9 May 2025
Most squash are monoecious which means male and female flowers are produced on the same plant.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2024
Most plant species are monoecious, meaning a single plant has both male and female parts.
—Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 12 July 2022
Cite this Entry
“Monoecious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monoecious. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
monoecious
adjective
mon·oe·cious
mə-ˈnē-shəs
(ˈ)mä-
: having on the same plant flowers with stamens only and flowers with pistils only
Medical Definition
monoecious
adjective
mo·noe·cious
variants
also monecious
: having male and female sex organs in the same individual
monoeciously
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share