Bract
/brækt/noun
A modified leaf, often associated with a flower or inflorescence.
Did you know?Bract comes from Latin bractea, meaning a thin sheet or leaf of metal, and the botanical sense was adopted because these plant structures looked like little shining plates.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰerǵʰ-
“to shine, gleam, or flash”
Latin
Latin
bractea
“a thin plate or leaf of metal, especially gold leaf”
Medieval Latin
Latin
bractea
“a thin metallic leaf or foil”
Late Middle English
English
bract
“a thin scale or leaf-like appendage on a plant”
Modern English
English
bract
“a modified leaf, often associated with a flower or inflorescence”