caryopsis

[ kar-ee-op-sis ]
/ ˌkær iˈɒp sɪs /

noun, plural car·y·op·ses [kar-ee-op-seez] /ˌkær iˈɒp siz/ car·y·op·si·des [kar-ee-op-si-deez] /ˌkær iˈɒp sɪˌdiz/. Botany.

a small, one-celled, one-seeded, dry indehiscent fruit with the pericarp adherent to the seed coat, the typical fruit of grasses and grains.

Origin of caryopsis

First recorded in 1820–30; cary(o)- + -opsis

Words nearby caryopsis

Example sentences from the Web for caryopsis

British Dictionary definitions for caryopsis

caryopsis
/ (ˌkærɪˈɒpsɪs) /

noun plural -ses (-siːz) or -sides (-sɪˌdiːz)

a dry seedlike fruit having the pericarp fused to the seed coat of the single seed: produced by the grasses

Word Origin for caryopsis

C19: New Latin; see karyo-, -opsis

Scientific definitions for caryopsis

caryopsis
[ kăr′ē-ŏpsĭs ]

Plural caryopses (kăr′ē-ŏpsēz′) caryopsides (kăr′ē-ŏpsĭ-dēz′)

A small, dry, one-seeded fruit of a cereal grass, having the fruit and the seed walls united. Also called grain