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

Plants deposit lots of sap, pollen, mold spores, and debris that will make your lights dirty and sticky. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 June 2026

This compact model combines HEPA filtration and proprietary VortexAir technology to effectively tackle pollen, dust, odors and more. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 June 2026

Dust and Reverse Ceiling Fans Ceiling fans can stir up dust and pollen unless the blades are cleaned regularly. —Emerson Latham, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2026

To increase the odds of your tree producing fruit, North recommends hand-pollinating the flowers with a small paintbrush to transfer pollen from one tree to another. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 29 May 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