germen

American  

[jur-muhn] / ˈdʒɜr mən /

noun

Archaic.

plural

germens, germina

1. a germ.

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germen British  

/ ˈdʒɜːmən /

noun

1. rare biology the mass of undifferentiated cells that gives rise to the germ cells

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Etymology

Origin of germen

From Latin, dating back to 1595–1605; see origin at germ

Example Sentences

Thus every botanist considers petals, nectaries, stamens, pistils, germen as metamorphosed leaf.

From The Foundations of the Origin of Species Two Essays written in 1842 and 1844 by Darwin, Francis, Sir

But the stamens, being shorter than the germen, cannot discharge the pollen so as to throw it upon the stigma, as the flower stands always upright till after impregnation.

From The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 by Poe, Edgar Allan

Mr. Fairbairn, to whose abilities and industry the Companies Garden at Chelsea is indebted for its present flourishing state, being desirous of obtaining ripe seeds, I had no opportunity of examining the germen.

From The Botanical Magazine, Vol. 4 Or, Flower-Garden Displayed by Curtis, William

The younger the fruit of the carica, the more milk it yields: it is even found in the germen scarcely fecundated.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 2 by Humboldt, Alexander von

The species attack the flowers and anthers of composite and polygonaceous plants, the leaves, culms, and germen of grasses, &c., and are popularly known as “smuts.”

From Fungi: Their Nature and Uses by Cooke, M. C. (Mordecai Cubitt)