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apophthegm
apophyge
apophyllite
apophysis
apoplast
apoplectic
apoplexy
apoprotein
apoptosis
aporia
aport
aposematic
aposiopesis
apospory
apostasy
apostate
apostatize
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apoptosis

a·pop·to·sis [ ə póptəssiss ]


noun 
Definition:
 
necessary death of cells: a form of cell death necessary to make way for new cells and to remove cells whose DNA has been damaged to the point at which cancerous change is liable to occur

[Late 20th century. < Greek, "falling off" (see apo-, ptosis)]
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