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
Recent Examples on the Web
Early microscopic examinations by researchers like Arthur Church in 1919, coupled with subsequent work by Francis Hueber in 2001, solidified the notion that these fossils were the fruiting bodies of an enormous fungal organism.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The astronauts will closely monitor the development rate of the mushrooms (the fruiting bodies), look for signs of contamination and analyze various other growth characteristics.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Unlike Ophiocordyceps, which forces ants to clamp onto vegetation before a fruiting body erupts from their heads, Gibellula species spread in a finer, more filamentous way, using the entire spider’s body as a fungal scaffolding.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Instead of releasing spores from gills or pores, these mushrooms have hanging spines—soft, icicle-like structures that dangle from their fruiting bodies.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
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Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The astronauts will closely monitor the development rate of the mushrooms (the fruiting bodies), look for signs of contamination and analyze various other growth characteristics.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Unlike Ophiocordyceps, which forces ants to clamp onto vegetation before a fruiting body erupts from their heads, Gibellula species spread in a finer, more filamentous way, using the entire spider’s body as a fungal scaffolding.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Instead of releasing spores from gills or pores, these mushrooms have hanging spines—soft, icicle-like structures that dangle from their fruiting bodies.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 26 Feb. 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 29 Apr. 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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