pistil

[ pis-tl ]

noun

, Botany.

1. the ovule-bearing or seed-bearing female organ of a flower, consisting when complete of ovary, style, and stigma.
2. such organs collectively, where there are more than one in a flower.
3. a gynoecium.

pistil

/ ˈpɪstɪl /

noun

1. the female reproductive part of a flower, consisting of one or more separate or fused carpels; gynoecium

pistil

/ pĭs′təl /

1. One of the female reproductive organs of a flower, consisting of a single carpel or of several carpels fused together. A flower may have one pistil or more than one, though some flowers lack pistils and bear only the male reproductive organs known as stamens .
2. See more at carpel

pistil

1. The female part of a plant. In flowering plants, it is at the center of the flower . When fertilized with pollen , the pistil develops into fruit .

Word History and Origins

Origin of pistil¹

1570–80; earlier pistillum, special use of Latin pistillum pestle

Word History and Origins

Origin of pistil¹

C18: from Latin pistillum pestle

Example Sentences

Using their technique, the team was able to observe, for the first time, the elongation of multiple pollen tubes within a living pistil and their unique attraction to female tissue.

From Science Daily

The study described how a plant's floral tubes produce volatile compounds to sterilize their stigma, the part of the pistil that collects pollen, to protect against attack by pathogens.

From Science Daily

Resembling a flower exploding into bloom with a five-carat emerald-cut diamond as its luminous pistil and stamen, surrounded by a cascade of yellow sapphires and orange spessartite garnets, this captivating ring manages the impossible: turning the fleeting frisson of fragrance into an eternal object of desire.

From New York Times

The book — its title, “Kashin,” is variously translated as “Pistil and Stamen,” “The Core of a Flower” and “A Flower Aflame” — was dismissed as pornography by some critics who objected to her sexual imagery and the use of the word “womb.”

From Washington Post

Authorities believe she may have packed the following items: a pistil gray trucker hat, a Patagonia black nano puff Jacket, a dark tank top, Danner trail gray hiking boots, and an osprey blue multi-day pack.

From Fox News