caudex

C3A1U1D2E1X8
UK/ˈkɔːdɛks/

noun

An enlargement of the stem, branch or root of a woody plant, usually serving to store water.

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OriginLatin caudex →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nouncaudex (plural caudices or caudexes)

plural caudices · plural caudexes

  1. biologyAn enlargement of the stem, branch or root of a woody plant, usually serving to store water.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounpersistent thickened stem of a herbaceous perennial plant

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Broader
stalkstem
Also see
stock

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincaudex“tree trunk”, “tree stem”
  2. Englishcaudex

From Latin caudex (“tree trunk”, “tree stem”); compare codex.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Hungarian tőszár
  • tőszárwoody base of a perennial plant
Polish kaudeks
  • kaudekswoody base of a perennial plant
Cite this entry
APA

caudex. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/caudex

MLA

“caudex.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/caudex. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “caudex,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/caudex.

Source: caudex on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.