facultative

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The dragon’s birth, which came during a study of fertility, was said to result from a special type of parthenogenesis, called facultative parthenogenesis.

From Washington Post

It’s known as “facultative parthenogenesis,” said scientists at the zoo, meaning “she reproduced without contribution from a male.”

From Washington Post

They are what is considered a “facultative scavenger”—they eat carrion when it’s available but are quite capable of hunting their own prey when it’s not.

From Scientific American

The cells that enable this remarkable response have been extensively investigated, and have provided further examples of facultative stem cells.

From Nature

The key, McLaughlin said, is to find plants that ecologists call facultative, meaning they are adaptable to temporary extremes.

From Washington Post