amitosis

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Direct cell division by simple cleavage of the nucleus, without spindle formation or the appearance of chromosomes.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In cytology, direct celldivision, akinesis or karyostenosis, as opposed to the indirect form of division (mitosis, karyokinesis, which see): so called from the absence of thread-like figures in the nucleus.

Wiktionary

1. n. biology Direct division of a cell by cleavage of the nucleus without the formation of chromosomes

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Biol.) Cell division in which there is first a simple cleavage of the nucleus without change in its structure (such as the formation of chromosomes), followed by the division of the cytoplasm; direct cell division; -- opposed to mitosis. It is not the usual mode of division, and is believed by many to occur chiefly in highly specialized cells which are incapable of long-continued multiplication, in transitory structures, and in those in early stages of degeneration.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the direct method of cell division characterized by simple division of the nucleus without formation of chromosomes