pollinium

noun

pol·​lin·​i·​um pä-ˈli-nē-əm How to pronounce pollinium (audio)
plural pollinia pä-ˈli-nē-ə How to pronounce pollinium (audio)
: a coherent mass of pollen grains often with a stalk bearing an adhesive disk that clings to insects

Examples of pollinium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And the orchid’s pollinium, the bright yellow packet of pollen that the flower produces, was nowhere to be seen. Steven Bedard, Discover Magazine, 26 Nov. 2019 In one shot by Stone, the moth can clearly by seen drinking nectar, but its head is not nearly close enough to the flower to pick up the pollinium. Douglas Main, National Geographic, 11 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from pollin-

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pollinium was in 1849

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Cite this Entry

“Pollinium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollinium. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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