cotyledon

See also: cotylédon

English

Structure of the placenta, with a placental cotyledon marked in rectangle.
Mimosa pudica seedling with two cotyledons and the first "true" leaf with six leaflets.

Etymology

From Latin cotylēdōn, from Ancient Greek κοτυληδών (kotulēdṓn, cup-shaped cavity), from κοτύλη (kotúlē, cup).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌkɒt.ɪˈliː.dən/
    • (file)
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˌkɑt.əˈliː.dən/

Noun

cotyledon (plural cotyledons)

  1. (physiology) Each of the patches of villi on the foetal chorion in the placenta of ruminants and some other mammals.
    • 1997, Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, Folio Society, published 2016, page 72:
      Forced to apply animal findings to humans, his human womb also had cotyledons like a dog's.
  2. (botany) The leaf of the embryo of a seed-bearing plant; after germination it becomes the first leaves of the seedling.

Synonyms

(botany): seed leaf

Derived terms

Translations

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