nucellus

[ noo-sel-uhs, nyoo- ]

noun,plural nu·cel·li [noo-sel-ahy, nyoo-]. /nuˈsɛl aɪ, nyu-/. Botany.
  1. the central cellular mass of the body of the ovule, containing the embryo sac.

Origin of nucellus

1
1880–85; <New Latin, equivalent to Latin nuc- (stem of nux) nut + -ella-elle

Other words from nucellus

  • nu·cel·lar, adjective

Words Nearby nucellus

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How to use nucellus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nucellus

nucellus

/ (njuːˈsɛləs) /


nounplural -li (-laɪ)
  1. the central part of a plant ovule containing the embryo sac

Origin of nucellus

1
C19: New Latin, from Latin nucella, from nux nut

Derived forms of nucellus

  • nucellar, adjective

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-sĕləs ]


Plural nucelli (nōō-sĕlī)
  1. 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.

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