pollen

noun

pol·​len ˈpä-lən 

1

: a mass of microspores in a seed plant appearing usually as a fine dust

2

: a dusty bloom on the body of an insect

Examples of pollen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The main filter comes with a fine-mesh inner basket for capturing particles such as sand, pollen, and other grit. — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026

The robot completed each pollination in less than 10 seconds, while a single dip of the brush into pollen could support about 50 pollinations, as reported by China Daily. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026

Beware of lilies, which are toxic to cats; even chewing the leaves or licking pollen off their fur while grooming can be fatal. — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Indoor air quality tends to decline as pollen, dust and humidity accumulate over the summer months, and most people spend the vast majority of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. — Olivia Laborde, AJC.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin pollin-, pollen, from Latin, fine flour

First Known Use

1723, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pollen

• pollen basket
• pollen count
• pollen grain
• pollen mother cell
• pollen sac
• pollen tube

Rhymes for pollen

• cauline
• fallen
• paulin
• befallen
• crestfallen
• tarpaulin

Kids Definition

pollen

noun

pol·​len ˈpäl-ən 

: a mass of tiny particles in the anthers of a flower that fertilize the seeds and usually appear as fine yellow dust

Medical Definition

pollen

noun

pol·​len ˈpäl-ən 

: a mass of male spores in a seed plant appearing usually as a fine dust