Viviparity has two different meanings. In animals, it means development of the embryo inside the body of the mother, eventually leading to live birth, as opposed to laying eggs. In plants, where the term vivipary is more usual, it means reproduction via embryos, such as buds, that develop from the outset without interruption, as opposed to germinating externally from a seed. In both animals and plants, the adjective viviparous is used to describe the condition.

Viviparity has two different meanings. In animals, it means development of the embryo inside the body of the mother, eventually leading to live birth, as opposed to laying eggs. In plants, where the term vivipary is more usual, it means reproduction via embryos, such as buds, that develop from the outset without interruption, as opposed to germinating externally from a seed. In both animals and plants, the adjective viviparous is used to describe the condition.