pollen
n. uncountable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpɑɫən// UK //pˈɒlən// pollen
n. a fine powder produced by flowers, trees, and grass. It is carried by the wind or insects to help other plants make seeds.
n. a fine to coarse powdery substance comprising pollen grains which are male microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce male gametes. Essential for the process of cross-pollination in angiosperms and gymnosperms.
Bees collect pollen from flowers to feed their young.
High levels of tree pollen in the air can cause sneezing and itchy eyes for people with seasonal allergies.
The evolutionary success of flowering plants is largely due to the diverse methods they have developed to transport pollen, ranging from wind dispersal to complex relationships with specific insect pollinators.