botany

American  

[bot-n-ee] / ˈbɒt n i /

noun

plural

botanies

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.

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botany British  

/ 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

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botany Scientific  

/ 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.

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botany Cultural  

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

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Other Word Forms

• botanist noun

Etymology

Origin of botany

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

Example Sentences

Specialists in zoology, ecology, and botany worked together to uncover how different species manage to survive there.

From Science Daily • Mar. 2, 2026

First, a botany crash-course: You can’t just plant a seed from your favorite apple to grow more of them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

“We’ve always been intrigued by overlap between plants and humans,” study coauthor Pradeep Kachroo, a botany professor at the University of Kentucky, told Salon in a video interview.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2025

He got into botany after wanting to save animals as a child and a brief spell as a model.

From BBC • May 24, 2024

The books were of the most varied kind—history, geography, politics, political economy, botany, geology, law—all relating to England and English life and customs and manners.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker