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 After 6 to 12 months or so, the fruiting bodies (the mushrooms) begin to appear on the surface of the logs, first as rounded buttons. Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2024 Invigorated by the damp, fungi living quietly in the soil sprout fruiting bodies. Rachel Bujalski Veronique Greenwood, New York Times, 11 June 2024 Technically not mushrooms, which have a cap and stalk, the fruiting bodies are blob- to cup-shaped, while the fungus itself lives hidden underground. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 May 2024 Some of these organisms, living as a network of threads hidden in the soil, may not have sent up a fruiting body in years. Rachel Bujalski Veronique Greenwood, New York Times, 11 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for fruiting body 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fruiting body.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 31 Oct. 2024.

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
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