Bractlet
/ˈbræktlɪt/noun
A small bract, or a leaflike structure associated with a flower or inflorescence.
Did you know?Bractlet is a real botanical word formed in English from bract + -let, and bract itself comes from Latin bractea, a term for a thin leaf or plate, showing how plant language often grows from words for thin metal sheets.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
bractea
“A thin plate, sheet, or leaflike metal covering”
Late Latin
Latin
bractea
“A thin leaflike scale or plate”
Middle English
English
bract
“A specialized leaf associated with a flower”
19th Century
English
bractlet
“A small bract”
Modern English
English
bractlet
“A small leaflike structure at the base of a flower or flower cluster”