perianth

[ per-ee-anth ]

/ ˈpɛr iˌænθ /

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noun Botany.

the envelope of a flower, whether calyx or corolla or both.

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Origin of perianth

1700–10; earlier perianthium<New Latin. See peri-, anth-, -ium

OTHER WORDS FROM perianth

per·i·an·thi·al, adjective

Words nearby perianth

perhaps, perhydrogenate, perhydrogenize, peri, Periander, perianth, periapical, periapsis, periapt, periarteritis, periarteritis nodosa

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use perianth in a sentence

The perianth, when present at all, consists of two or four scale-like parts, and the stamens correspond in number with these.
The Sea Shore|William S. Furneaux
The perianth is deeply divided, and the stamens are inserted in its base, opposite the divisions.
The Sea Shore|William S. Furneaux
The segments of the perianth are very narrow and sharp, and the seeds are enclosed in a loose testa.
The Sea Shore|William S. Furneaux
The male flowers grow in catkins, each arising from a scaly bract, and have a green perianth.
The Sea Shore|William S. Furneaux

Perianth, per′i-anth, n. the floral envelope where the calyx and corolla are not easily distinguished.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for perianth

perianth

/ (ˈpɛrɪˌænθ) /

noun

the outer part of a flower, consisting of the calyx and corolla

Word Origin for perianth

C18: from French périanthe, from New Latin, from peri- + Greek anthos flower

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 perianth

perianth

[ pĕr′ē-ănth′ ]

The sepals and petals of a flower considered together.