elater

[ el-uh-ter ]

noun

1. Botany. an elastic filament serving to disperse spores.
2. Zoology. elaterid.
3. Obsolete. elasticity.

elater

/ ˈɛlətə /

noun

1. an elaterid beetle
2. botany a spirally thickened filament, occurring in liverwort capsules and horsetails, thought to aid dispersal of spores

elater

/ ĕl′ə-tər /

1. A tiny elongated structure that helps disperse plant spores by coiling and uncoiling in response to changes in humidity. The elaters of horsetails are bands attached to the spore wall, while those of liverworts are sterile cells occurring among the spores.

Word History and Origins

Origin of elater¹

1645–55; < New Latin < Greek elatḗr driver, equivalent to ela- (stem of elaúnein to drive; elastic ) + -tēr noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of elater¹

C17: via New Latin from Greek: driver, from elaunein to beat, drive; compare elastic

Example Sentences

Furthermore, the spirals may be smooth or spinulose the elater uniform throughout or enlarged betimes by nodes and swellings.

From Project Gutenberg

The capillitium is very even the taeniae closely wound, the elater-ends often furcate.

From Project Gutenberg

I have frequently watched the ants make use of these passages mined by the elater on these occasions.

From Project Gutenberg

It is the elater, or still more scientifically, the Pyrophorus noctilucus.

From Project Gutenberg

Hence their name of Elater (derived from the same root as the word elastic).

From Project Gutenberg