What is the process called that combines male and female gametes to form a zygote?

The process of combining male and female gametes to form a zygote is known as fertilization. This event marks the fusion of two haploid gametes—one from the male (sperm) and one from the female (egg)—resulting in a diploid zygote. Fertilization is the crucial step in sexual reproduction, as it leads to the development of a new organism with a unique genetic makeup derived from both parents.

In contrast, meiosis refers to the special type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, which is essential for the formation of gametes but does not involve the actual fusion of gametes. Germination, on the other hand, refers to the process by which a seed develops into a new plant, and hybridization generally refers to the crossing of two different species or varieties to create a hybrid organism. Thus, while these terms relate to various aspects of reproduction and development, they do not specifically address the formation of the zygote resulting from the union of male and female gametes.