Giving birth to living young, in distinction to oviparous, or egg-laying. SYN: zoogonous. [vivi- + L. pario, to bear]
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vi·vip·a·rous vī-'vip-(ə-)rəs, və- adj producing living young instead of eggs from within the body in the manner of nearly all mammals, many reptiles, and a few fishes compare LARVIPAROUS, OVIPAROUS, OVOVIVIPAROUS
vi·vip·a·rous·ly adv
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adj.
describing animal groups (including most mammals) in which the embryos develop within the body of the mother so that the young are born alive rather than hatch from an egg.
• viviparity n.
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vi·vip·a·rous (vi-vipґə-rəs) [vivi- + -parous] bearing living young which derive nutrition directly from the maternal organism.Medical dictionary. 2011.