perianth

[ per-ee-anth ]

nounBotany.
  1. the envelope of a flower, whether calyx or corolla or both.

Origin of perianth

1
1700–10; earlier perianthium<New Latin. See peri-, anth-, -ium

Other words from perianth

  • per·i·an·thi·al, adjective

Words Nearby perianth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use perianth in a sentence

  • The perianth, when present at all, consists of two or four scale-like parts, and the stamens correspond in number with these.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • The perianth is deeply divided, and the stamens are inserted in its base, opposite the divisions.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • The segments of the perianth are very narrow and sharp, and the seeds are enclosed in a loose testa.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • The male flowers grow in catkins, each arising from a scaly bract, and have a green perianth.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • perianth, per′i-anth, n. the floral envelope where the calyx and corolla are not easily distinguished.

British Dictionary definitions for perianth

perianth

/ (ˈpɛrɪˌænθ) /


noun
  1. the outer part of a flower, consisting of the calyx and corolla

Origin of perianth

1
C18: from French périanthe, from New Latin, from peri- + Greek anthos flower

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for perianth

perianth

[ pĕrē-ănth′ ]


  1. The sepals and petals of a flower considered together.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.