ascomycete
|as-co-my-cete|
/ˌæs.kəˈmaɪ.siːt/
sac fungus
Etymology
'ascomycete' originates from Neo-Latin, specifically the word 'Ascomycetes', where the element 'asco-' comes from Greek 'askos' meaning 'sac' and '-mycete' (from Greek 'mykes') meant 'fungus' (with the suffix '-ete' indicating a member).
'ascomycete' developed from the Greek roots 'askos' (sac) + 'mykes' (fungus) into Neo-Latin 'Ascomycetes' used in taxonomy, and was adopted into English scientific usage as 'ascomycete' to denote members of that group.
Initially used to denote members of the taxonomic group 'Ascomycetes'; over time it has been applied broadly to fungi of the phylum Ascomycota (the sac fungi) in both scientific and general contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a fungus belonging to the group Ascomycota (formerly Ascomycetes), characterized by producing sexual spores (ascospores) inside sac-like structures called asci; commonly called a sac fungus.
Many antibiotics and food-related molds are produced by ascomycetes such as Penicillium and Aspergillus.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/27 02:50