embryo formatus (for-may-t[schwa]s).Eccles. law. A human embryo organized into human shape and endowed with a soul. • Though rejected in the early doctrine of the Christian church, the distinction between the embryo formatus and informatus was accepted by Gratian (regarded as the founder of canon law) in his Decretum (ca. 1140), in which he said that abortion is not murder if the fetus has not yet been infused with a soul. Though he did not specify the time of formation or animation, by the 16th century canonists accepted that the time of formation and animation was the 40th day after conception for the male fetus and the 80th day for the female.
— Also termed embryo animatus.
embryo informatus (in-for-may-t[schwa]s).Eccles. law. A human embryo before it has been endowed with a soul.
— Also termed embryo inanimatus.
