viviparous
adjective
vi·vip·a·rous
vī-ˈvi-p(ə-)rəs 
və-
və-
1
: producing living young instead of eggs from within the body in the manner of nearly all mammals, many reptiles, and a few fishes
2
: germinating while still attached to the parent plant
the viviparous seed of the mangrove
viviparously
adverb
Examples of viviparous in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is a particular problem for viviparous sharks, which give birth to live young.
—
Claudia Geib, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
Sharks that give birth to live young are viviparous like humans.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
All birds are oviparous, but some reptiles are viviparous, or give birth to live young.
—USA TODAY, 30 May 2023
To this day, the island has only a single native terrestrial reptile: the common or viviparous lizard, which must have arrived sometime in the past 10,000 years, following the end of the ice age.
—Marisa Sloan, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2023
Or maybe the fossil of a viviparous archosaur is somewhere out there, just waiting to be found.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2017
Obviously that's different than in viviparous Dinocephalosaurus.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2017
Another fun fact: a number of fossils of pregnant ichthyosaurs have turned up, documenting that the animals were viviparous, giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2018
Mammals are characterized by their milk glands, hair, vertebrae and their birthing of live young (being viviparous), according to Britannica.
—Liam Gravvat, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 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.
Claudia Geib, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
Sharks that give birth to live young are viviparous like humans.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
All birds are oviparous, but some reptiles are viviparous, or give birth to live young.
—USA TODAY, 30 May 2023
To this day, the island has only a single native terrestrial reptile: the common or viviparous lizard, which must have arrived sometime in the past 10,000 years, following the end of the ice age.
—Marisa Sloan, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2023
Or maybe the fossil of a viviparous archosaur is somewhere out there, just waiting to be found.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2017
Obviously that's different than in viviparous Dinocephalosaurus.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2017
Another fun fact: a number of fossils of pregnant ichthyosaurs have turned up, documenting that the animals were viviparous, giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2018
Mammals are characterized by their milk glands, hair, vertebrae and their birthing of live young (being viviparous), according to Britannica.
—Liam Gravvat, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2022
Dictionary Entries Near viviparous
Cite this Entry
“Viviparous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viviparous. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
viviparous
adjective
vi·vip·a·rous
vī-ˈvip-(ə-)rəs
və-
: giving birth to living young from within the body rather than laying eggs
nearly all mammals and some reptiles are viviparous
Medical Definition
viviparous
adjective
vi·vip·a·rous
vī-ˈvip-(ə-)rəs
və-
və-
: producing living young instead of eggs from within the body in the manner of nearly all mammals, many reptiles, and a few fishes compare larviparous, oviparous, ovoviviparous
viviparously
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share