cotyledon

American  

[kot-l-eed-n] / ˌkɒt lˈid n /

noun

Botany.

1. the primary or rudimentary leaf of the embryo of seed plants.

2. Anatomy. any of several lobules of the placenta.

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cotyledon British  

/ ˌkɒtɪˈliːdən /

noun

1. a simple embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, which, in some species, forms the first green leaf after germination

2. a tuft of villi on the mammalian placenta

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cotyledon Scientific  

/ kŏt′l-ēd′n /

1. A leaf of the embryo of a seed-bearing plant. Most cotyledons emerge, enlarge, and become green after the seed has germinated. Cotyledons either store food for the growing embryo (as in monocotyledons) or absorb food that has been stored in the endosperm (as in other angiosperms) for eventual distribution to the growing parts of the embryo.

2. Also called seed leaf

3. See more at eudicotyledon monocotyledon

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Other Word Forms

• cotyledonal adjective
• cotyledonary adjective
• cotyledonous adjective
• noncotyledonal adjective
• noncotyledonary adjective
• noncotyledonous adjective
• pseudocotyledonal adjective
• pseudocotyledonary adjective

Etymology

Origin of cotyledon

1535–45; < Latin: navelwort < Greek kotylēdṓn a plant (probably navelwort), literally, a cuplike hollow, derivative of kotýlē cup

Example Sentences

Microgreens are simply the cotyledons or seed leaves, that first emerge from a seed when it germinates.

From Salon

In five days, the “baby” cotyledon leaves were up, with the “true” notched tomato leaves following at day 10.

From Seattle Times

It typically grows there until the first true leaves appear, although robust growers may be ready for the next step when they still have only seed leaves, or cotyledons.

From Seattle Times

Seeds anatropous, mostly single in each cell, large and flat, with a smooth coriaceous integument; the embryo shorter than the hard albumen, with a long radicle and flat cotyledons.

From Project Gutenberg

A plant which has no cotyledons, as the dodder and all flowerless plants.

From Project Gutenberg