pericarp: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1+Technical/Scientific/Academic
Quick answer
What does “pericarp” mean?
The part of a fruit that develops from the ovary wall after flowering, forming the fruit's outer layers.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The part of a fruit that develops from the ovary wall after flowering, forming the fruit's outer layers.
In botanical terms, it refers specifically to the wall of the ripened ovary (or ovaries), often divided into layers like the epicarp (outer skin), mesocarp (fleshy part), and endocarp (inner layer around the seeds). It can also be used metaphorically to describe any protective outer layer or shell.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is standardized in international botanical nomenclature.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties—purely technical, with no cultural or connotative variation.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both the UK and US. Used with identical, low frequency in academic and botanical writing.
Grammar
How to Use “pericarp” in a Sentence
The pericarp of + (fruit name) + verbA + (adjective) + pericarp + verbVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in botany, biology, agriculture, and food science texts and lectures.
Everyday
Almost never used; replaced by common terms like 'peel' or 'skin'.
Technical
Precise term in botanical descriptions, plant morphology, and horticulture.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pericarp”
- Using 'pericarp' to refer to any outer covering of a plant (e.g., tree bark).
- Confusing 'pericarp' with 'mesocarp' (which is just one layer of it).
- Pronouncing it /perɪˈkɑːrp/ (stress on the second syllable). Correct stress is on the first syllable.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In everyday language, yes, but technically 'peel' or 'rind' usually refers only to the outermost layer (exocarp/epicarp), while 'pericarp' includes all layers (exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp).
It depends on the fruit. In fruits like apples and peaches, the pericarp (especially the mesocarp) is fleshy and edible. In fruits like nuts, the pericarp is often a hard, inedible shell.
Botanically, many vegetables (like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers) are fruits, so their outer structure is a pericarp. However, the term is rarely used outside formal botany.
The three main layers are the exocarp (outer skin), the mesocarp (often the fleshy middle part), and the endocarp (the inner layer surrounding the seeds).
The part of a fruit that develops from the ovary wall after flowering, forming the fruit's outer layers.
Pericarp is usually technical/scientific/academic in register.
Pericarp: in British English it is pronounced /ˈper.ɪ.kɑːp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈper.ə.kɑːrp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'PERI' (around) + 'CARP' (fruit) – it's the part AROUND the fruit's seeds.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROTECTIVE LAYER / CONTAINER (The pericarp is a natural container protecting the seeds.)
Practice
Quiz
What is the pericarp?