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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Both the fruiting body and mycelium have compounds with potential health benefits. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Feb. 2023 Like many fungi, they’re composed of a visible fruiting body (the mushroom itself) and the mycelium–the bottom structure that looks like roots. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Feb. 2023 It's made up of only natural, organic components, including a unique combination of fresh reishi fruiting body, captis root, pleurisy root, and fresh marshmallow root! Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2022 This stalk is fruiting body of the fungus, which will produce new spores that rain down onto the unlucky ants below. Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 8 May 2012 By then, the spores attached to the fungus' fruiting body, which has emerged from the ant's head, have almost fully matured. Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010 Nootropics Depot's certified organic whole fruiting body extracts are thoroughly tested to ensure low starch content and an accurate percentage of beta glucans. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 13 Oct. 2022 The fruiting body of a parasitic fungus erupts from the body of its victim. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 19 Aug. 2022 If the mushroom is the fruiting body (think apples or oranges), the mycelium is the rest of the tree: roots, branches, and all. William Ralston, Wired, 26 July 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fruiting body.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fruiting body was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near fruiting body

Cite this Entry

“Fruiting body.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruiting%20body. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

fruiting body

noun
: a plant organ specialized for producing spores

Medical Definition

fruiting body

noun
fruit·​ing body ˈfrüt-iŋ- How to pronounce fruiting body (audio)
: a plant organ specialized for producing spores
especially : sporophore
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Love It or Hate It

  • heart-fire
  • When asked about her blind date, Carol spoke for hours with vitriol.
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY