coleoptile

C3O1L1E1O1P3T1I1L1E1
UK/kɒliːˈɒptɪl/

noun

A pointed sheath that protects the emerging shoot in monocotyledons such as oats and grasses.

OriginAncient Greek κολεός ← French coléoptile →
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Meanings

nouncoleoptile (plural coleoptiles)

plural coleoptiles

  1. biologyA pointed sheath that protects the emerging shoot in monocotyledons such as oats and grasses.

    This kinetic scheme was proposed to account for the observed responses of Avena coleoptiles, and it was thought that it could also be applied to the phototropic responses of corn coleoptiles.

    1965, Barbara Ann Koch, Phototropic responses of corn coleoptiles

Origin

  1. Frenchcoléoptile
  2. Ancient Greekκολεός“sheath”
  3. Englishcoleoptile

A classical compound of the Ancient Greek κολεός (koleós, “sheath”) + the English -ptile (“leaf”) – the suffix representing the Ancient Greek πτῐ́λον (ptĭ́lon) – probably after the French coléoptile.

More words from Ancient Greek, French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan coleòptil
  • coleòptilin botany, a pointed sheath
Chinese Mandarin 胚芽鞘
  • 胚芽鞘 (pēiyáqiào)in botany, a pointed sheath
French coléoptile
  • coléoptilein botany, a pointed sheath
Italian coleoptile
  • coleoptilein botany, a pointed sheath
Japanese 子葉鞘
  • 子葉鞘 (shiyōshō)in botany, a pointed sheath
Korean 자엽초
  • 자엽초 (jayeopcho)in botany, a pointed sheath
Persian ساقهپوش
  • ساقهپوش (sâqe-puš)in botany, a pointed sheath
Spanish coleóptilo
  • coleóptiloin botany, a pointed sheath
Tagalog kalubsuloy
  • kalubsuloyin botany, a pointed sheath
Cite this entry
APA

coleoptile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coleoptile

MLA

“coleoptile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coleoptile. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “coleoptile,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coleoptile.

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