Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

spadix

/ˈspeɪdɪks/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.55 in modern English

Syllables: spadix
IPA: /ˈspeɪdɪks/

16

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

1

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A fleshy spike (inflorescence) with reduced flowers, usually enclosed by a spathe, characteristic of aroids.

noun

A male sexual organ of certain cephalopods and hydrozoans (especially the nautilus), used to transfer sperm.

Example Sentences

"The spadix of this plant is frequently quite white, or coloured, and the leaves liable to be streaked with white, and to have black, or scarlet blotches on them."
"However, the shells of modern nautiluses show the opposite pattern—males are somewhat larger than females, with a wider aperture to accommodate the spadix."

Etymology

Via Latin spādīx from Ancient Greek σπᾱ́δῑξ (spā́dīx, “palm branch”).

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: spādīx, σπᾱ́δῑξ

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Medicine.

Inflected Forms

spadixes (plural) spadices (plural)

Derived Forms

spadiceous

Frequently Paired Words

Araceae spathe

Rhymes With

radix

Questions

How do you pronounce spadix?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈspeɪdɪks/.
What does spadix mean?: A fleshy spike (inflorescence) with reduced flowers, usually enclosed by a spathe, characteristic of aroids.
Where does spadix come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce spadix

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