nucellus
[ noo-sel-uhs, nyoo- ]
/ nuˈsɛl əs, nyu- /
noun, plural nu·cel·li [noo-sel-ahy, nyoo-]. /nuˈsɛl aɪ, nyu-/. Botany.
the central cellular mass of the body of the ovule, containing the embryo sac.
QUIZZES
TAKE THIS QUIZ IF A DAZZLING VOCABULARY IS YOUR DESIDERATUM!
Have the Words of the Day from October 19–25, 2020, made an indelible mark on your memory? Take the quiz to find out!
Question 1 of 7
What does “clement” mean?
Origin of nucellus
OTHER WORDS FROM nucellus
nu·cel·lar, adjectiveWords nearby nucellus
Nubian Desert, Nubian goat, nubile, nubilous, Nubuck, nucellus, NUCFLASH, nucha, nuchal ligament, nuchal plane, nuchal translucency
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for nucellus
British Dictionary definitions for nucellus
nucellus
/ (njuːˈsɛləs) /
noun plural -li (-laɪ)
the central part of a plant ovule containing the embryo sac
Derived forms of nucellus
nucellar, adjectiveWord Origin for nucellus
C19: New Latin, from Latin nucella, from nux nut
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
Scientific definitions for nucellus
nucellus
[ nōō-sĕl′əs ]
Plural nucelli (nōō-sĕl′ī)
The megasporangium of a seed-bearing plant, located in the ovule. In angiosperms, it is the central portion of the ovule in which the embryo sac develops. In some cases of apomixis (production of seeds without fertilization), cells of the nucellus develop into an embryo.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.