Dicot

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A category of flowering vegetation distinguished by possessing two embryonic leaves, known for their wide leaf patterns and complex vein structures while forming a significant part of angiosperm diversity
2. A group of flowering plants that are identified by having two seed leaves, often featuring broad foliage and intricate vein patterns while contributing extensively to the variety of flowering plants
3. A classification of plants characterized by the presence of two embryonic leaves, which typically exhibit broad leaves and complex venation, playing a major role in flowering plant diversity

Etymology: "Dicot" is a clipped form of "dicotyledon," a word built from Greek roots: "di-" meaning "two" and "cotyledon," which itself comes from Greek "kotyledon," a term for a cup-shaped hollow or the seed leaf. The compound describes the embryo of these plants, which emerges from the seed with two seed leaves, or cotyledons, rather than one. The name points to a feature that botanists noticed early on: plants in this group sprout with a pair of embryonic leaves, while the other major flowering-plant group, the monocotyledons, sprout with a single one. "Dicotyledon" entered English as a technical term in botany, and the shorter "dicot" is a later abbreviation that botanists and gardeners use for convenience.