Germinal

Part of speech: noun (n.)

The seventh month of the French republican calendar [1792 -- 1806]. It began March 21 and ended April 19. See VendÉmiaire.

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

Pertaining or belonging to a germ; as, the germinal vesicle. Germinal layers (Biol.), the two layers of cells, the ectoblast and entoblast, which form respectively the outer covering and inner wall of the gastrula. A third layer of cells, the mesoblast, which is formed later and lies between these two, is sometimes included. -- Germinal membrane. (Biol.) Same as Blastoderm. -- Germinal spot (Biol.), the nucleolus of the ovum. -- Germinal vesicle, (Biol.) , the nucleus of the ovum of animals.