meiosis

/mī-ˈō-səs/

New Latin, from Greek meiōsis diminution, from meioun to diminish, from meiōn less; akin to Sanskrit mīyate he diminishes

noun

  1. the presentation of a thing with underemphasis especially in order to achieve a greater effect : understatement

  2. the cellular process that results in the number of chromosomes in gamete-producing cells being reduced to one half and that involves a reduction division in which one of each pair of homologous chromosomes passes to each daughter cell and a mitotic division