sclerotium

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noun

A compact mass of hardened mycelium stored with reserve food material that, in some higher fungi such as ergot, becomes detached and remains dormant until a favourable opportunity for growth occurs.

OriginNew Latin sclerotium ← Ancient Greek σκληρός →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounsclerotium (plural sclerotia)

plural sclerotia

  1. biologyA compact mass of hardened mycelium stored with reserve food material that, in some higher fungi such as ergot, becomes detached and remains dormant until a favourable opportunity for growth occurs.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
sclerote

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekσκληρός“hard”
  2. New Latinsclerotium
  3. Englishsclerotium

From New Latin sclerotium, from Ancient Greek σκληρός (sklērós, “hard”).

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Coulterism
Cite this entry
APA

sclerotium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sclerotium

MLA

“sclerotium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sclerotium. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sclerotium,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sclerotium.

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