Gemmule
/ˈdʒɛm.juːl/noun
A tiny bud or seed-like body; in biology, a minute reproductive particle or bud-like cell mass.
Did you know?Gemmule comes from Latin *gemmula*, meaning “little bud,” from *gemma* (“bud, gem”), the same root that gave English *gem*—so the word carries both botanical growth and jewel-like brilliance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵem-
“To bud, sprout, or swell”
Latin
Latin
gemma
“A bud, a gem, or a precious stone”
Latin
Latin
gemmula
“A little bud; a small bud-like body”
Late 18th Century
English
gemmule
“A minute bud or bud-like particle”
19th Century
English
gemmule
“A tiny reproductive body in biology, especially in certain invertebrates”