self-fertilization: Meaning and Definition of

self-fer•ti•li•za•tion

Pronunciation: (self'fûr"tl-u-zā'shun, self"-), [key]
— n.
  1. fertilization of an ovum of a plant by a male gamete from the same flower (opposed to cross-fertilization).
  2. fertilization of the ovum of a hermaphroditic animal by a sperm from the same individual, as in some species of tapeworm.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: