pericarp

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
14
Words With Friends
17
Letters
8
Pronunciation
/ˈpɛɹɪˌkɑːp/ (UK)
See all 2 pronunciations
/ˈpɛɹɪˌkɑːp/ (UK) · /ˈpɛɹɪˌkɑɹp/

Definition of pericarp

2 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. The outermost layer, or skin, of a ripe fruit or ovary.
    “When, as in the cherry, the different layers of the pericarp are well-defined and largely developed, they received distinctive names ; the outer skin is the epicarp (epi, upon, carpon, a fruit), the middle fleshy part is the mesocarp (mesos, middle) ; and the innermost hard shell is the endocarp (endos, within) ; in other words the pericarp is made up of epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. […] In all normal fruits these three layers of the pericarp are present […].”
    “The pericarp of sorghums of the factorial titution BBSSrr, BBSsrr, BbsSrr, and BbSsrr may possess some t degree of coloration even though the pericarp color factor R is nt.”
    “Many fruits show differentiation of the pericarp into layers – the plum, for example, has a thin outer pericarp forming the skin, a succulent middle pericarp forming the flesh and a stony inner pericarp surrounding the single seed.”
    “One important difference is the pericarp of sorghum is more bran-like and contains starch granules in the cells. However, as with maize, the sorghum pericarp is often referred to as a “hull” and is generally removed during processing.”
See all 2 definitions

noun

  1. The outermost layer, or skin, of a ripe fruit or ovary.
    “When, as in the cherry, the different layers of the pericarp are well-defined and largely developed, they received distinctive names ; the outer skin is the epicarp (epi, upon, carpon, a fruit), the middle fleshy part is the mesocarp (mesos, middle) ; and the innermost hard shell is the endocarp (endos, within) ; in other words the pericarp is made up of epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. […] In all normal fruits these three layers of the pericarp are present […].”
    “The pericarp of sorghums of the factorial titution BBSSrr, BBSsrr, BbsSrr, and BbSsrr may possess some t degree of coloration even though the pericarp color factor R is nt.”
    “Many fruits show differentiation of the pericarp into layers – the plum, for example, has a thin outer pericarp forming the skin, a succulent middle pericarp forming the flesh and a stony inner pericarp surrounding the single seed.”
    “One important difference is the pericarp of sorghum is more bran-like and contains starch granules in the cells. However, as with maize, the sorghum pericarp is often referred to as a “hull” and is generally removed during processing.”
  2. (figuratively, rare)The outer layer of anything.
    “He learned, afternoon after afternoon, how to edge her into delicious frenzies, how to tremble the clitoris, pericarp, and tip.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From French péricarpe, from New Latin pericarpium, from Ancient Greek περικάρπιον (perikárpion, “pod, husk, shell”), from περι- (peri-, “around”) + καρπός (karpós, “fruit”). By surface analysis, peri- + -carp.

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