# pollen

/ˈpɑɫən/ (US) · /pˈɒlən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pollen
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. plant powder

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the yellow or fine powder that flowers produce to make new seeds.

For teachers: a fine, granular substance produced by the anthers of flowering plants, containing the male reproductive cells.

- Bees carry pollen from one flower to another as they look for food.
- High pollen counts in early spring often trigger severe allergic reactions in individuals sensitive to wind-pollinated trees and grasses.

Usage: Usually uncountable; when used in the plural, it refers to different botanical types of pollen.

### 2. to cover with powder

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to cover something with a fine powder, like the dust from a flower.

For teachers: to coat or sprinkle a surface with, or as if with, pollen grains.

- The golden dust from the lilies pollens the table underneath the vase.
- The morning light revealed how the heavy summer air had pollented the windowsills with a fine layer of yellow dust from the nearby pines.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.