Pericarp
/ˈpɛrɪkɑːrp/noun
The part of a fruit that develops from the ovary wall and surrounds the seeds.
Did you know?Pericarp comes from Greek botanical language: peri- means “around” and karpos means “fruit,” so the word names the fruit’s enclosing wall with almost ritual precision.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
perikarpion
“the part surrounding fruit”
Late Latin
Latin
pericarpium
“a botanical term for the fruit wall or surrounding layer”
16th-17th Century
English
pericarpium
“a learned scientific term used in botany”
Modern English
English
pericarp
“the wall of a fruit, especially when considered as distinct layers”
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