botany

American  

[bot-n-ee] / ˈbɒt n i /

noun

plural

botanies

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

• botanist noun

Etymology

Origin of botany

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

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

"The samples have proved to be an unexpected, unique and very exciting archive of DNA from wind-dispersed biological particles," says Nils Cronberg, a botany researcher at Lund University.

From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2025

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

Horn Farm is now offering a new eight-week training program with intensive foraging classes that cover botany terminology, plant identification, safety best practices, culinary uses and more.

From Salon • May 30, 2024

No botany, no geology, no biology of any sort—she was as ignorant as a baby.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman