calyx

noun

ca·​lyx ˈkā-liks How to pronounce calyx (audio)
also
ˈka- How to pronounce calyx (audio)
plural calyxes or calyces ˈkā-lə-ˌsēz How to pronounce calyx (audio)
also ˈka-
1
: the usually green outer whorl of a flower consisting of separate or fused sepals
2
: a cuplike division of the renal pelvis surrounding one or more renal papillae
3
: a cup-shaped animal structure (such as the body wall of a crinoid)

Examples of calyx 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.
If the florets are grouped in calyxes, are the florets all the same, or are some cone shaped and others tongue shaped? Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 Before using them, wash briefly in cold water with the green leaves (botanically known as the calyx) still in place. Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026 The flowers fade after several weeks, leaving behind rose-red petal-like calyces that appear like a second bloom carrying the color well into autumn. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026 In a subsequent Instagram post, Seth cleared the air surrounding a few of Adelaide’s comments on the show, sharing an image of Agnes dressed as a red elf with a green collar visually similar to the calyx on a tomato. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Nov. 2025 The fuzzy forest of purple asterisks are the calyces that provide most of the colour. New York Times Games, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024 Over time leaves gracefully cascade down with bright red flowers emerging from dark maroon calyxes. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin calyc-, calyx, from Greek kalyx — more at chalice

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of calyx was in 1660

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Calyx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calyx. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

calyx

noun
ca·​lyx ˈkā-liks How to pronounce calyx (audio)
also ˈkal-iks
plural calyxes or calyces ˈkā-lə-ˌsēz How to pronounce calyx (audio)
also ˈkal-ə-
: the usually green or leafy outside part of a flower consisting of sepals

Medical Definition

calyx

noun
ca·​lyx
variants also calix
ˈkā-liks also ˈkal-iks
plural calyxes or calyces
ˈkā-lə-ˌsēz also ˈkal-ə-
also calices
: a cuplike division of the renal pelvis surrounding one or more renal papillae

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