plural pappi
ˈpa-ˌpī 
-ˌpē
: an appendage or tuft of appendages that crowns the ovary or fruit in various seed plants and functions in dispersal of the fruit
Examples of pappus in a Sentence
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The feathery pappus on the groundsel seed head are ready for wind dispersal as seen at 2x in the second-place image.
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Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2017
So not only does the pappus of a dandelion seed create this SVR, but the authors determined it’s also perfectly engineered to stabilize the pocket of air.
—Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2018
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Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2017
So not only does the pappus of a dandelion seed create this SVR, but the authors determined it’s also perfectly engineered to stabilize the pocket of air.
—Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Pappus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pappus. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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