: a small dry indehiscent one-seeded fruit (as of a sunflower) developing from a simple ovary and usually having a thin pericarp attached to the seed at only one point
Examples of achene in a Sentence
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The fruits on a strawberry are also achenes, appearing as tiny, dry brown or white specks on the skin, each of which contains a single seed.
—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
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Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Achene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/achene. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
achene
noun
: a small dry one-seeded fruit (as of the sunflower) that ripens without bursting open
achenial
adjective
ə-ˈkē-nē-əl
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