pappus
[ pap-uhs ]
/ ˈpæp əs /
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noun, plural pap·pi [pap-ahy]. /ˈpæp aɪ/. Botany.
a downy, bristly, or other tuftlike appendage of the achene of certain plants, as the dandelion and the thistle.
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Origin of pappus
1695–1705; <New Latin <Greek páppos down, literally, grandfather (taken as greybeard, white hairs, down)
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use pappus in a sentence
Happily the Pappi soon appeared; a fine-looking man with a beard and a kindly face.
Through Finland in Carts|Ethel Brilliana Alec-Tweedie
British Dictionary definitions for pappus
pappus
/ (ˈpæpəs) /
noun plural pappi (ˈpæpaɪ)
a ring of fine feathery hairs surrounding the fruit in composite plants, such as the thistle; aids dispersal of the fruits by the wind
Derived forms of pappus
pappose or pappous, adjectiveWord Origin for pappus
C18: via New Latin, from Greek pappos grandfather, old man, old man's beard, hence: pappus, down
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Scientific definitions for pappus
pappus
[ păp′əs ]
Plural pappi (păp′ī)
A structure made of scales, bristles, or featherlike hairs that is attached to the seeds (called cypselae) of plants of the composite family and that aids in dispersal by the wind. The downy part of a dandelion or thistle seed is a pappus. The pappus is derived from a modified calyx.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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