Carpel
/ˈkɑːr.pəl/noun
A carpel is a female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of the ovary, style, and stigma.
Did you know?The botanical term comes from Greek *karpos* meaning “fruit,” because the carpel is the seed-bearing structure that becomes the fruit after fertilization.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
karpos
“fruit”
18th Century
French
carpelle
“a botanical term for a flower’s seed-bearing part”
Late 18th Century
Latin
carpellum
“a diminutive form used in botanical Latin”
Modern English
English
carpel
“one of the female reproductive units of a flower”