sb. (a.) Also 5–8 embrion. Pl. embrya, embryons. [mod.L., a. Gr. ἔμβρυον, in Homer merely ‘young animal,’ but in later writers ‘the fruit of the womb before birth.’ Usually believed to be f. ἐν in + βρύ-ειν to swell, grow.] The original form of EMBRYO; now rare even in techn. use; in ordinary language obs.
1. = EMBRYO 1. † a. of man. Obs.
[1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., v. in Ashm. (1652), 90. Passing the Substance of Embrion.]
1592. H. Chettle, in Greene, Groatsw. Wit, Pref. Like an Embrion without shape.
1653. A. Wilson, Jas. I., 77. But this was but an Embrion, and became an Abortive.
1682. Southerne, Loyal Brother, III. 34. Rip this womb, That form’d him yet an Embrion.
1804. Abernethy, Surg. Obs., 11. Like the embryon, it [the tumour] receives nourishment from the surrounding parts.
b. of animals.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 922. Certain imperfect things like Embryons or little worms.
1672. Phil. Trans., VII. 4020. The Sceleton of an Embryon … in an Egg.
1713. Warder, True Amazons (ed. 2), 19. Which otherwise would incommode the Embrion [of bees].
1722. Wollaston, Relig. Nat., v. (1738), 90. The animalcula and embrya.
1880. Günther, Fishes, 318. Cantor found in a female, nearly 11 feet long, thirty-seven embryons.
2. Bot. = EMBRYO 2. In quot. fig.
1816. Coleridge, Statesm. Man. (1817), 355. Looking forward to the green fruits and embryons … of the days to come.
† 3. fig. = EMBRYO 4. In (the) embryon: = in embryo. Obs.
1596. Drayton, Leg., iv. 167. To perfect that which in the Embryon was.
1607. Barksted, Mirrha (1876), 37. To bring vices Embrion to a forme.
1639. G. Daniel, Ecclus. xxiv. 27. I was, ere yet the world in Embrion lay.
1640. J. Ley, Patterne of Pietie, 157. Shee had certaine fits or traunces like the embrions of death.
1676. Phil. Trans., XI. 614. The first Beings or Embrions of mineral salts are nothing but vapours.
1788. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 431. It is yet, indeed, a mere embryon.
1812. Shelley, Lett., in Dowden, Shelley (1886), I. 230. I perceive in you the embryon of a mighty intellect.
† 4. attrib. or adj. Immature, unformed, undeveloped; that is still in germ. Obs.
1616. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. iv. The Embrion Blossome of each spray.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 900. Four Champions fierce … to Battel bring thir embryon Atoms.
1728. Vanbrugh & Cibber, Provoked Husb., Prol. 26. If … his Art can to those Embrion Scenes new Life impart.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem. (1814), 140. Nourishment … for the use of the Embryon plant.
1835. Greswell, Parables, V. ii. 411. All nature’s embryon store.
