basidium
[ buh-sid-ee-uh m ]
/ bəˈsɪd i əm /
noun, plural ba·sid·i·a [buh-sid-ee-uh] /bəˈsɪd i ə/. Mycology.
a special form of sporophore, characteristic of basidiomycetous fungi, on which the sexual spores are borne, usually at the tips of slender projections.
OTHER WORDS FROM basidium
ba·sid·i·al, adjectiveWords nearby basidium
Example sentences from the Web for basidium
British Dictionary definitions for basidium
basidium
/ (bæˈsɪdɪəm) /
noun plural -ia (-ɪə)
the structure, produced by basidiomycetous fungi after sexual reproduction, in which spores are formed at the tips of projecting slender stalks
Derived forms of basidium
basidial, adjectiveWord Origin for basidium
C19: from New Latin, from Greek
basidion; see
basis,
-ium
Medical definitions for basidium
basidium
[ bə-sĭd′ē-əm ]
n. pl. ba•sid•i•a (-ē-ə)
A small club-shaped structure that typically bears four spores at the tips of minute projections, is unique to Basidiomycetes, and is used as a distinguishing characteristic.
Scientific definitions for basidium
basidium
[ bə-sĭd′ē-əm ]
Plural basidia
A small, specialized, club-shaped structure typically bearing four basidiospores at the tips of minute projections in the fungi known as basidiomycetes. The basidium is unique to basidiomycetes and distinguishes them from other kinds of fungi.