botany

noun

bot·​a·​ny ˈbä-tə-nē How to pronounce botany (audio)
ˈbät-nē
plural botanies
1
: a branch of biology dealing with plant life
2
a
: plant life
b
: the properties and life phenomena exhibited by a plant, plant type, or plant group
3
: a botanical treatise or study
especially : a particular system of botany
botanist
ˈbä-tə-nist How to pronounce botany (audio)
ˈbät-nist
noun

Examples of botany in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Classes held during the inaugural season included Bible studies, botany, zoology and music. Dave Smith, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2025 If anything, some of those accounts only further bolster the hypothesis that the emperor was well-versed in botany. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 July 2025 He was deeply learned in fields as diverse as architecture, botany, law, mathematics and music. Linda McMahon, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 July 2025 And, in a nod to its legacy, the property is also part of the Buxton Pond Farm Center, a nonprofit organization that sends produce to local families in need and offers programming related to botany, herbalism, and permaculture. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for botany

Word History

Etymology

botanic botanical + -y entry 2

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of botany was in 1647

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Botany.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/botany. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

botany

noun
bot·​a·​ny ˈbät-ᵊn-e How to pronounce botany (audio)
ˈbät-ne
1
: a branch of biology dealing with plant life
2
a
: plant life (as of a given region)
b
: the biology of a plant or plant group

Medical Definition

botany

noun
bot·​a·​ny ˈbät-ᵊn-ē, ˈbät-nē How to pronounce botany (audio)
plural botanies
1
: a branch of biology dealing with plant life
2
a
: plant life
b
: the properties and life phenomena exhibited by a plant, plant type, or plant group
3
: a botanical treatise or study
especially : a particular system of botany

More from Merriam-Webster on botany

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