perigynous

adjective

pe·​rig·​y·​nous pə-ˈri-jə-nəs How to pronounce perigynous (audio)
: borne on a ring or cup of the receptacle surrounding a pistil
perigynous petals
also : having perigynous stamens and petals
perigynous flowers
perigyny noun

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin perigynus, from peri- peri- + -gynus -gynous

Note: The term was apparently introduced, along with epigynus epigynous, by the French botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu (1748-1836) in Genera plantarum secundum ordines rationales disposita (Paris, 1789), p. xiii.

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perigynous was in 1807

Dictionary Entries Near perigynous

Cite this Entry

“Perigynous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perigynous. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!