-adelphous
AmericanUsage
What does -adelphous mean? The combining form -adelphous is used like a suffix meaning “having stamens growing together in bundles.” Stamens are the pollen-bearing organ of a flower. The form -adelphous is rarely used in scientific terms, particularly in botany.The form -adelphous comes from Greek adelphós, meaning “brother.” This same root is also found in the name of the city Philadelphia, “the city of brotherly love.” Find out more at our entry for Philadelphia.
Etymology
Origin of -adelphous
< New Latin < Greek -adelphos, adj. derivative of adelphós brother or adelphḗ sister; -ous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Having coalescent or clustered filaments; Ð said of stamens; as, adelphous stamens.
From Project Gutenberg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.