Carpology
/kɑːrˈpɒlədʒi/noun
The study of fruits and seeds, especially in botany and archaeology.
Did you know?Carpology comes from Greek karpos, meaning “fruit,” so in archaeology it can reveal what ancient people grew, ate, and traded from the seeds they left behind.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
karpós (καρπός)
“fruit, produce, or crop”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-logía (-λογία)
“study, discourse”
Modern scientific Latin
Latin
carpologia
“study of fruits and seeds”
19th Century
English
carpology
“the scientific study of fruits and seeds”
Modern English
English
carpology
“the study of fruits and seeds, especially in botany and archaeology”