cryptocarpous
|crypt-o-carp-ous|
🇺🇸
/ˌkrɪptəˈkɑrpəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌkrɪptəˈkɑːpəs/
hidden fruit
Etymology
'cryptocarpous' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'kryptos' meaning 'hidden' and 'karpos' meaning 'fruit', combined via New Latin/botanical formation.
'cryptocarpous' was formed in botanical New Latin from Greek roots ('kryptos' + 'karpos') and entered English scientific usage in the 19th century as a descriptive adjective in botany.
Initially it meant 'having hidden fruit' in specialised botanical contexts, and it retains that technical meaning in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having the fruit or carpels concealed or enclosed within surrounding tissues (i.e., the fruit is hidden rather than exposed).
The plant is cryptocarpous, its seeds developing inside thickened floral tissues until dispersal.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/23 13:34