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Definition of imposex

imposex

/ˈɪm.poʊ.sɛks/
im · po · sex
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imposex Lexical Profile

imposex Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A pathological disorder in marine gastropods where female snails abnormally develop male reproductive organs, such as a penis and vas deferens, typically caused by exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemical pollutants like tributyltin (TBT).

Example

"The widespread occurrence of imposex in dogwhelk populations served as a crucial bioindicator of toxic pollution in coastal waters."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for imposex

• Nearby Words

importer
imposable
impose
imposex
imposing
imposingly
imposition

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1981 by researcher B.S. Smith as a portmanteau of the words 'imposed' and 'sex' to describe the abnormal development of male characteristics in female mud snails.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Imposex. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/imposex
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