achene
or a·kene
[ ey-keen, uh-keen ]
/ eɪˈkin, əˈkin /
noun Botany.
any small, dry, hard, one-seeded, indehiscent fruit.
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Origin of achene
OTHER WORDS FROM achene
a·che·ni·al [ey-kee-nee-uhl, uh-kee-], /eɪˈki ni əl, əˈki-/, adjectiveWords nearby achene
Achebe, Chinua, acheilia, acheiria, acheiropody, Achelous, achene, Achernar, Acheron, Acheson, Acheulean, Acheulian
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for achene
British Dictionary definitions for achene
achene
akene
/ (əˈkiːn) /
noun
a dry one-seeded indehiscent fruit with the seed distinct from the fruit wall. It may be smooth, as in the buttercup, or feathery, as in clematis
Derived forms of achene
achenial or akenial, adjectiveWord Origin for achene
C19: from New Latin achaenium that which does not yawn or open, from a- 1 + Greek khainein to yawn
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for achene
achene
A small, dry, one-seeded fruit in which the seed sits free inside the hollow fruit, attached only by the stem of the ovule. Achenes are indehiscent (they do not split open when ripe). The fruits of the sunflower and elm are achenes.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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