Advertisement

Advertisement

elater

[ el-uh-ter ]

noun

  1. Botany. an elastic filament serving to disperse spores.
  2. Zoology. elaterid.
  3. Obsolete. elasticity.


elater

/ ˈɛlətə /

noun

  1. an elaterid beetle
  2. botany a spirally thickened filament, occurring in liverwort capsules and horsetails, thought to aid dispersal of spores
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


elater

/ ĕlə-tər /

  1. A tiny elongated structure that helps disperse plant spores by coiling and uncoiling in response to changes in humidity. The elaters of horsetails are bands attached to the spore wall, while those of liverworts are sterile cells occurring among the spores.


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of elater1

1645–55; < New Latin < Greek elatḗr driver, equivalent to ela- (stem of elaúnein to drive; elastic ) + -tēr noun suffix
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of elater1

C17: via New Latin from Greek: driver, from elaunein to beat, drive; compare elastic
Discover More

Example Sentences

Furthermore, the spirals may be smooth or spinulose the elater uniform throughout or enlarged betimes by nodes and swellings.

The capillitium is very even the taeniae closely wound, the elater-ends often furcate.

I have frequently watched the ants make use of these passages mined by the elater on these occasions.

It is the elater, or still more scientifically, the Pyrophorus noctilucus.

Hence their name of Elater (derived from the same root as the word elastic).

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


elatedelaterid