Polygenesis

{ Pol′y‐gen″e‐sis (–jĕn″ē̍‐sĭs), Po‐lyg″e‐ny (pō̍‐lĭj″ē̍‐ny̆), } n. [Poly- + genesis, or root of Gr. γίγνεσθαι to be born.] (Biol.) The theory that living organisms originate in cells or embryos of different kinds, instead of coming from a single cell; — opposed to monogenesis.