botany

[ bot-n-ee ]

noun

, plural bot·a·nies.

1. the science of plants; the branch of biology that deals with plant life.
2. the plant life of a region:

   the botany of Alaska.

3. the biology of a plant or plant group:

   the botany of deciduous trees.

4. (sometimes initial capital letter) Botany wool.

botany

/ ˈbɒtənɪ /

noun

1. the study of plants, including their classification, structure, physiology, ecology, and economic importance
2. the plant life of a particular region or time
3. the biological characteristics of a particular group of plants

botany

/ bŏt′n-ē /

1. The scientific study of plants, including their growth, structure, physiology, reproduction, and pathology, as well as their economic use and cultivation by humans.
2. The plant life of a particular area.

botany

1. The scientific study and categorization of plants. ( See fruit , photosynthesis , and plant kingdom .)

Derived Forms

• ˈbotanist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of botany¹

1690–1700; botan(ic) ( botanical ) + -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of botany¹

C17: from botanical ; compare astronomy , astronomical

Example Sentences

Shane Dewees, right, and other researchers clean native shrub seeds in a botany lab.

From Los Angeles Times

They cleaned the seeds in a campus botany lab.

From Los Angeles Times

"It covers a very significant amount of area," Naomi Fraga, director of conservation at the California Botanic Garden and research assistant professor of botany at Claremont Graduate University, told Salon.

From Salon

A team of researchers led by biologist Florian Schiestl of the Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany at the University of Zurich has now discovered that the interaction of plants with pollinators and herbivorous insects influences their adaptation to soil types and thus the formation of ecotypes.

From Science Daily

Innovation in seagrass restoration requires broad, incremental advancements in knowledge around foundational marine science, botany, and data collection, which may make it relatively costlier and slower to implement.

From Science Daily