fruiting body
noun
plural fruiting bodies
: a structure (as of a moss or liverwort) specialized for producing spores
especially
: the spore-producing organ of a fungus or slime mold : sporophore
Examples of fruiting body in a Sentence
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The two insects were likely killed by the fungi before getting trapped in the sticky tree resin that ultimately forms amber, said Araújo, noting that most entomopathogenic fungi kill their hosts to produce the fruiting body.
—
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 24 June 2025
Consumers are familiar with mushrooms and expect to receive mushrooms (fruiting bodies) when purchasing a product that claims to contain them.
—Skye Chilton, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
Even when the fruiting bodies themselves disappear in a week or so, the mycelia underground flourish as long as there’s organic matter to feed on.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
But when food dries up, a change occurs: Individual cells aggregate and form a sort of multicellular slug, which crawls as a single unit and forms fruiting bodies to reproduce.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fruiting body
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Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 24 June 2025
Consumers are familiar with mushrooms and expect to receive mushrooms (fruiting bodies) when purchasing a product that claims to contain them.
—Skye Chilton, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
Even when the fruiting bodies themselves disappear in a week or so, the mycelia underground flourish as long as there’s organic matter to feed on.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
But when food dries up, a change occurs: Individual cells aggregate and form a sort of multicellular slug, which crawls as a single unit and forms fruiting bodies to reproduce.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fruiting body
Cite this Entry
“Fruiting body.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruiting%20body. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
fruiting body
noun
fruit·ing body
ˈfrüt-iŋ- 
: a plant organ specialized for producing spores
especially
: sporophore
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