◙ (pl. -os) 1. an unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of development • 胚胎 an unborn human offspring, especially in the first eight weeks from conception, after implantation but before all the organs are developed • （尤指受孕后8周内的）胎儿。 --› compare fetus [Botany] the part of a seed which develops into a plant, consisting (in the mature embryo of a higher plant) of a plumule, a radicle, and one or two cotyledons • [植] 胚胎，胚 (figurative)a thing at a rudimentary stage that shows potential for development • [喻] 萌芽状态的事物；发展初期的事物 »a simple commodity economy is merely the embryo of a capitalist economy. 简单商品经济只是资本主义经济的萌芽。 »[as modifier] an embryo central bank. 中央银行的雏形。
【IDIOMS】
◘ in embryo 1. at a rudimentary stage with the potential for further development • 在胚胎阶段；在未成熟时期
【派生】
♦ embryonal adjective
【语源】
1. late Middle English: via late Latin from Greek embruon 'fetus', from em- 'into' + bruein 'swell, grow'