ligule

noun

lig·​ule ˈli-(ˌ)gyül How to pronounce ligule (audio)
: a scalelike projection especially on a plant: such as
a
: a thin appendage of a foliage leaf and especially of the sheath of a blade of grass
b
: a ligulate corolla of a ray floret in a composite head

Examples of ligule in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Daisies are unique in having two kinds of flowers or, technically speaking, florets: inner disc florets that appear in the center, each of which consists of colorless petals fused to its reproductive structures, and outer ray florets, each of which shows off a colorful petal known as a ligule. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ligula, from Latin, small tongue, strap, from lingere to lick — more at lick

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ligule was circa 1847

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Cite this Entry

“Ligule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ligule. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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