botany

American  

[bot-n-ee] / ˈbɒt n i /

noun

• botanies
  plural

1. the science of plants; the branch of biology that deals with plant life.

2. the plant life of a region.

   the botany of Alaska.

3. the biology of a plant or plant group.

   the botany of deciduous trees.

4. (sometimes initial capital letter) Botany wool.

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botany British  

/ ˈbɒtənɪ /

noun

1. the study of plants, including their classification, structure, physiology, ecology, and economic importance

2. the plant life of a particular region or time

3. the biological characteristics of a particular group of plants

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botany Scientific  

/ bŏt′n-ē /

1. The scientific study of plants, including their growth, structure, physiology, reproduction, and pathology, as well as their economic use and cultivation by humans.

2. The plant life of a particular area.

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botany Cultural  

1. The scientific study and categorization of plants. (See fruit, photosynthesis, and plant kingdom.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• botanist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• botanies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of botany

1690–1700; botan(ic) ( see botanical) + -y ³

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Explanation

The study of plants is called botany. Each climate has its own particular botany, so if you study desert growth, you might focus on such plants as cactus and sage, while if you're in the jungle you'd study the lush growth there. Someone once said, "Botany is the science in which plants are known by their aliases." Indeed, the study of botany includes learning the scientific names of plants. The origin of the word botany came from the Greek word botane, which means "grass" or "pasture." Since the original meaning focused on the idea of a pasture, it's possible the study of botany came about from herdsmen needing to know what plants were safe for their herds to eat.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

botany botanies

As I explained to the trainees, however, an exceptional amount of knowledge about botany, forestry, gastronomy, aquatic systems and topography was not just passed along by enslaved people, but created by them.

From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026

Helen Litchfield, secretary of the botany section at La Société Guernesiaise, said the team's efforts in propagating the dwarf pansy meant it was no longer at risk.

From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026

First, a botany crash-course: You can’t just plant a seed from your favorite apple to grow more of them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025

Among his innate gifts, Mufasa proves to be an expert in elephant migration patterns and botany.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024

The books were of the most varied kind—history, geography, politics, political economy, botany, geology, law—all relating to England and English life and customs and manners.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

The difficulty in tree study by the aid of the usual botanies lies mainly in the fact that in using them the first essential parts to be examined are the blossoms and their organs.

From Trees of the Northern United States Their Study, Description and Determination by A. C. (Austin Craig) Apgar

From it I have sent to scientists flowers and vines not then classified and illustrated in our botanies.

From Moths of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter

Aside from laxity of method and statement, the only difference is that geographies and histories and botanies and astronomies are now part of the authoritative literature which is to be mastered.

From Democracy and Education: an introduction to the philosophy of education by John Dewey

In one season I have located here almost every flower named in the botanies as native to these regions and several that I can find in no book in my library.

From At the Foot of the Rainbow by Gene Stratton-Porter

The "virtues of flowers" took a prominent place in the descriptions in old-time botanies.

From Home Life in Colonial Days by Alice Morse Earle

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