Word
acanthocarpous
Phoneticsacan·tho·car·pous
Definition
adj. having seeds that are covered with small, sharp points or spines. This is a technical word used by scientists to describe certain types of plants.
adj. having seeds that are armed with spines or prickles. Often used in botanical classification to describe specific families or genera.
Examples
“The acanthocarpous seeds are difficult to remove from clothing.”
“The botanist noted that the plant was acanthocarpous, which explained why the seeds were so easily dispersed by the wind.”
“While many legumes have smooth, flat seeds, this particular species is acanthocarpous, featuring a unique protective layer of sharp spines that deter most herbivores.”
Examples
simple
“The acanthocarpous seeds are difficult to remove from clothing.”
contextual
“The botanist noted that the plant was acanthocarpous, which explained why the seeds were so easily dispersed by the wind.”
complex
“While many legumes have smooth, flat seeds, this particular species is acanthocarpous, featuring a unique protective layer of sharp spines that deter most herbivores.”
Etymology
From acantho- (“having thorns”) + -carpous (“relating to fruit”), from Ancient Greek ἄκανθος (ákanthos) and κᾰρπός (kărpós) respectively.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/acanthocarpous