Anther
/ˈæn.θər/noun
The pollen-producing part of a flower’s stamen.
Did you know?Anther comes from Greek anthos, meaning “flower,” the same root behind names like Anthea and Anthos, because the pollen-bearing part was named for the blossom itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂enh₁-
“to breathe, blow”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ánthos (ἄνθος)
“flower, bloom”
Medieval Latin
Latin
anthera
“flower bud or blossom”
Late Latin / Medieval Botanical Latin
Latin
anthera
“the anther of a flower”
16th–17th Century
English
anther
“the pollen-bearing part of a flower”
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