peduncle
|pe-dun-cle|
🇺🇸
/pɪˈdʌŋkəl/
🇬🇧
/pɪˈdʌŋk(ə)l/
little foot-like stalk
Etymology
'peduncle' originates from Medieval Latin, specifically the word 'pedunculus', where 'ped-' meant 'foot' and the diminutive suffix '-unculus' meant 'little', effectively 'little foot' used of a stalk.
'peduncle' changed from the Medieval Latin word 'pedunculus' and entered English usage via Late Latin/Medieval Latin forms to become the modern English 'peduncle'.
Initially it meant 'little foot' (a small foot-like projection); over time it came to be used specifically for stalk- or stem-like structures in botany, anatomy, and morphology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in botany, the stalk that supports an inflorescence or a single flower or fruit; the stem-like structure bearing flowers or fruit.
The peduncle of the sunflower supports the large flower head.
Synonyms
Noun 2
in anatomy, a stalk-like or stem-like structure connecting one part of an organ or organism to another (e.g., the cerebellar peduncle connecting the cerebellum to the brainstem).
The cerebral peduncle contains major ascending and descending nerve tracts.
Synonyms
Noun 3
in zoology and general morphology, a narrowed stalk or basal portion that attaches one part to another (for example, the pedestal-like stalk of some barnacles or the base of an arthropod appendage).
In goose barnacles, the peduncle anchors the organism to rocks or floating debris.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/09 07:18