Superfetation
//suːpəfəˈteɪʃən// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The formation of a fetus while another fetus is already present in the uterus. countable, uncountable
- 2 fertilization of a second ovum after a pregnancy has begun; results in two fetuses of different ages in the uterus at the same time wordnet
- 3 An excessive accumulation; a superfluous addition. countable, uncountable
"1992, Geoffrey Wall, translator of Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary These gentlemen were greatly astonished at Bovary's romantic ideas, and the pharmacist hurried in to say to him: "This velvet looks to me rather a superfetation. Besides, the expense...""
Example
More examples"1992, Geoffrey Wall, translator of Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary These gentlemen were greatly astonished at Bovary's romantic ideas, and the pharmacist hurried in to say to him: "This velvet looks to me rather a superfetation. Besides, the expense...""
Etymology
From Latin superfetare (“conceive while pregnant”), from super- + fetus.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.