Bracteal
/ˈbræk.ti.əl/noun
Relating to or resembling a bract, especially a leaflike structure beneath a flower or inflorescence.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Latin *bractea*, meaning a thin sheet of metal or foil, so a botanical term for plant parts is rooted in the idea of something wafer-thin and shining.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
bractea
“A thin plate or sheet of metal, especially gold leaf or foil.”
Late Latin
Latin
bractea / bracteālis
“Forms used in scholarly Latin to describe thin, leaflike, or bract-related things.”
16th–17th Century
English
bract
“A specialized leaf, usually beneath a flower or flower cluster.”
19th Century
English
bracteal
“Having the nature of a bract; leaflike and associated with bracts.”
Modern English
English
bracteal
“Relating to or resembling a bract.”