noun
Uncommon
pollen
PO-luhn
Pollen (noun) means the fine, powdery substance produced by flowers, containing the plant's male reproductive cells. Example: “Bees carry pollen from flower to flower as they feed.”
noun
1
The fine, powdery substance produced by flowers, containing the plant's male reproductive cells.
"Bees carry pollen from flower to flower as they feed."
"Her eyes were streaming from all the pollen in the air."
How to use pollen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe powder flowers release that fertilizes other plants and often triggers hay fever.
Common pairings
pollen count
pollen allergy
covered in pollen
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Word forms
- Plural
- pollens
- Third person singular
- pollens
- Past tense
- pollened
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Bees carry _____ from flower to flower as they feed.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin pollen, "fine flour" or "dust," and applied to flower spores by the botanist Carl Linnaeus in the 1700s.
Class of 1700
pollen joined the language around 1700.
See the full Class of 1700 →
Rhymes for pollen
See all rhymes for pollen →Frequently asked questions
What does “pollen” mean?
The word “pollen” means the fine, powdery substance produced by flowers, containing the plant's male reproductive cells. In plain terms, the powder flowers release that fertilizes other plants and often triggers hay fever.
How do you pronounce “pollen”?
“Pollen” is pronounced PO-luhn (/ˈpɑlən/ in IPA).
How do you use “pollen” in a sentence?
Here is “pollen” used in a sentence: “Bees carry pollen from flower to flower as they feed.”
What part of speech is “pollen”?
“Pollen” is a noun.
Where does the word “pollen” come from?
The word “pollen” dates back to around 1700 and comes from Latin. Borrowed from Latin pollen, "fine flour" or "dust," and applied to flower spores by the botanist Carl Linnaeus in the 1700s.
Is “pollen” a common word?
“Pollen” is an uncommon word in modern English.
