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 Mushroom fruiting bodies provide the vast majority of the polysaccharides, beta-glucans, minerals and all the other beneficial compounds that are neuroprotective, support the immune system and make fungi so good for us. Robert Johnson, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2023 In time fruiting bodies pop out dotting the bread’s surface. Emily Monosson, Time, 11 July 2023 This cohort wants the FDA to label mushroom products made with fruiting bodies differently than those made with mycelium and substrate. Robert Johnson, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2023 The initial more brightly colored mass will eventually turn to a more of a brown, leathery mass with crusty-looking fruiting bodies that are filled with spores. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2023 Spores from these fungi latch onto and kill their insect or arachnid prey—and then a fruiting body bursts from the corpse to spread more spores. Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2023 Released from a fungus’s reproductive structures (or fruiting bodies), spores carry instructions for a future Shiitake, puffball, bread mold, plant rust, or brain pathogen. Emily Monosson, Time, 11 July 2023 The fungal fruiting bodies show up more easily after rain. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2023 These invade an insect, replacing its tissue and organs with their mycelia (a mass of thread-like hyphae that absorb nutrients from the environment) and stroma (a stalk-like fruiting body). Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010

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 29 Mar. 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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