catkin
Use Catkin in a sentence
kɪn noun Botany.
a spike of unisexual, apetalous flowers having scaly, usually deciduous bracts, as of a willow or birch.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To catkin
Collins
World English Dictionary
catkin (ˈkætkɪn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| Also called: ament an inflorescence consisting of a spike, usually hanging, of much reduced flowers of either sex: occurs in birch, hazel, etc | |
| [C16: from obsolete Dutch katteken kitten, identical in meaning with French chaton, German Kätzchen] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Catkin
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
catkin
1578, from Du. katteken "flowering stem of willow, hazel, etc.," lit. "kitten," dim. of katte "cat." So called for their soft, furry appearance.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
| catkin (kāt'kĭn) Pronunciation Key
A long, thin, indeterminate inflorescence of tiny, petalless flowers growing on willows, birches, oaks, poplars, and certain other trees. The flowers on a catkin are either all male or all female. The female flowers are usually pollinated by the wind. Also called ament. See illustration at inflorescence. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
In the spring, the catkin will open and give off pollen.
They produce yellowish cream colored catkin flowers in the spring, followed by seed pods varying in shape and size.
Catkin becomes fascinated by a butterfly and forgets his duty.
Fall treatment is effective during catkin development.
Nearby Words
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