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Glite Dictionary
apiculate

apiculate

9.9
A leaf or plant part with a short sharp point at its tip
  • adjective
  • /əˈpɪkjʊlɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : apiculado
  • The apiculate ends of the leaves help distinguish this plant from closely related species.

Examples

  • You can identify the tree by examining its apiculate leaf tips under a magnifying glass.

  • The apiculate leaves of the plant are easily recognizable.

  • Botanists noted that the new variety produced apiculate petals with distinct pointed tips.

  • Does this species have apiculate leaf tips?

  • The apiculate tips of the leaves made the plant easy to identify in the garden.

  • In this species, the apiculate petals are vibrant and sharply pointed.

  • To distinguish between the plants, examine the apiculate features of the leaves closely.

Synonyms

pointy
vsapiculate
71 1.0

A thing with a sharp tip

has a short tip rather than a long taper
spine-tipped
vsapiculate
8.0

A leaf or stem that has a sharp, stiff point at the tip

has a short tip rather than a stiff spine

How Pointed

apiculate
  • Specialized
9.9
rounded
1 2.4

Surface Forms

apiculate positive

Morphology

apiculate = apex (semi-transparent) = apic + ulate

The adjective is built from the notion of a tip ('apex') plus the adjectival/derivational ending '-ulate'; the connection to 'tip' is clear to those who know 'apex', but the exact form and botanical nuance are specialized.

Etymology

Apiculate comes from the Latin root apex, which means 'tip' or 'top', with a small ending that gives the idea of a little tip. So apiculate describes a leaf or other plant part that has a short, sharp point at the end.