Syconium
/sɪˈkoʊniəm/noun
A fleshy, fig-like multiple fruit formed from an enlarged hollow flower structure, characteristic of fig trees.
Did you know?Syconium shares its Greek fig-root with “sycophant,” whose literal ancient sense was “fig-revealer,” though the exact historical reason for that nickname remains debated.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
σῦκον (sŷkon)
“Fig; the fleshy fruit of the fig tree”
Ancient Greek
Greek
συκῶν (sykôn)
“Of or relating to a fig; a form used in compounds”
Ancient Latin
Latin
syconium
“A fig or fig-like fruit”
18th Century
Botanical Latin
syconium
“A specialized fig-like fruit structure used in botanical classification”
Modern English
English
syconium
“The characteristic multiple fruit of Ficus and related plants”