anthocarpium
|an-tho-car-pi-um|
🇺🇸
/ˌænθəˈkɑrpiəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌænθəˈkɑːpiəm/
flower-derived fruit
Etymology
'anthocarpium' originates from New Latin, formed from Greek 'anthos' meaning 'flower' and 'karpos' meaning 'fruit', with the Latin suffix '-ium'.
'anthocarpium' was formed in botanical New Latin from Greek elements 'anthos' + 'karpos'; the related English technical term 'anthocarp' and the concept 'anthocarpy' entered botanical usage during the 18th–19th centuries and the Latinized form has been used in scientific descriptions.
Initially it meant 'a fruit associated with or deriving from the flower' (literally 'flower-fruit'), and it has largely retained this specialized botanical meaning in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of fruit (an accessory fruit) that is formed in whole or in part from floral parts other than the ovary; a flower-derived fruit used in botanical description.
The botanist examined the anthocarpium to determine whether the fruit developed from the ovary or other floral parts.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/08 01:57