Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

coleoptile

/kɒliːˈɒptɪl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.05 in modern English

Syllables: coleop-tile
IPA: /kɒliːˈɒptɪl/

14

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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

Example Sentences

"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."

Etymology

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.

Origin

Source language: Ancient Greek

Word Breakdown

Prefix: -ptile
Root: κολεός, coléoptile

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /kɒliːˈɒptɪl/

Inflected Forms

coleoptiles (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

coleoptilar

Questions

How do you pronounce coleoptile?: The recorded pronunciation is /kɒliːˈɒptɪl/.
What does coleoptile mean?: A pointed sheath that protects the emerging shoot in monocotyledons such as oats and grasses.
Where does coleoptile come from?: It is traced to Ancient Greek.

How to pronounce coleoptile

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “coleoptile”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kɒliːˈɒptɪl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “coleoptile”.
Repeat and practice — Say “coleoptile” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.