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Glite Dictionary
testa

testa

1 9.9
A hard outer covering of a seed that protects it
  • noun
  • /ˈtɛstə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : testa
  • Double-green varieties have the gc gene and a gene called green testa (gt).

Examples

  • A priest friend from Steubenville, Fr. Dave Testa, always used to say, "You shouldn't be worried about what the priest is going to think of you when you tell him what you did."

    Blog text (4)

  • Chicago documenting the creation of one of modern Chicago's most iconic dishes, Girl & the Goat's famous "roasted pig face," which is a classic Italian head cheese, testa, served with an egg and a few other things.

    Blog text (3)

  • What a testa dura I am.

    Armed and Dangerous (1986)

  • It was that testa dura, Nino.

    New Jack City (1991)

  • The testa protects the seed from environmental hazards until it is ready to germinate.

  • In botany, the testa refers to the seed coat that offers protection during the early stages of a plant's life.

  • When examining seeds under a microscope, the testa is often observed as a tough, outer layer.

Synonyms

seed coat
vstesta
  • Specialized
3.6

An outer covering of a seed that protects the young plant inside

is the same idea expressed as a specific technical term
episperm
vstesta
  • Specialized
9.9

The outer covering of a seed that protects the young plant inside

is the same covering but expressed in a plain descriptive phrase
tegmen
vstesta
  • Specialized
9.9

A thin layer that covers and protects a seed or an insect's front wing

is restricted to seed outer coverings rather than other biological coverings

Surface Forms

testa singular
testas plural
testae plural

Etymology

Testa comes from the Latin word testa, which meant 'shell' or 'pot'. Think of a seed wearing a small 'shell' or pot to protect its inside, which is why testa means the seed's outer covering.