Dictionary

pericarp en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɛɹɪˌkɑːp/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpɛɹɪˌkɑɹp/ (General-American)

Etymology

From French péricarpe, from New Latin pericarpium, from Ancient Greek περικάρπιον (perikárpion, “pod, husk, shell”), from περι- (peri-, “around”) + καρπός (karpós, “fruit”). By surface analysis, peri- + -carp.

Meanings

1. The outermost layer, or skin, of a ripe fruit or ovary.
   • Many fruits show differentiation of the pericarp into layers – the plum, for example, has a thin outer pericarp forming the skin, a succulent middle pericarp forming the flesh and a stony inner pericarp surrounding the single seed. 1992 August 20, Jim C. Forbes, James C. Forbes, Drennan Watson, Plants in Agriculture, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 180:
   • One important difference is the pericarp of sorghum is more bran-like and contains starch granules in the cells. However, as with maize, the sorghum pericarp is often referred to as a “hull” and is generally removed during processing. 2009, Stanley P. Cauvain, Linda S. Young, The ICC Handbook of Cereals, Flour, Dough & Product Testing: Methods and Applications, DEStech Publications, Inc, →ISBN, page 207:
   • The pericarp of sorghums of the factorial titution BBSSrr, BBSsrr, BbsSrr, and BbSsrr may possess some t degree of coloration even though the pericarp color factor R is nt. 1928, Journal of Agricultural Research, page 582:
   • When, as in the cherry, the different layers of the pericarp are well-defined and largely developed, they received distinctive names ; the outer skin is the epicarp (epi, upon, carpon, a fruit), the middle fleshy part is the mesocarp (mesos, middle) ; and the innermost hard shell is the endocarp (endos, within) ; in other words the pericarp is made up of epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. […] In all normal fruits these three layers of the pericarp are present […]. 1880, The Farmer's Magazine, page 208:
2. (figuratively, rare) The outer layer of anything.
   • He learned, afternoon after afternoon, how to edge her into delicious frenzies, how to tremble the clitoris, pericarp, and tip. 1974, Guy Davenport, Tatlin!:

Forms

Deriveds

pericarpic · pericarpous · pericarpal

Relateds

exocarp · mesocarp · endocarp

Synonyms

carpodermis

Translations (31)

ja 果皮 (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · ca pericarpi (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · ru перика́рпий (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · el περικάρπιο (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · pt pericarpo (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · bg перика́рп (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · de Perikarp (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · grc περικάρπιον (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · nl pericarp (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · fr péricarpe (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · it pericarpo (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · vi vỏ quả (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · gv ym-charp (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · cs oplodí (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · es pericarpio (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · pl owocnia (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · sv fruktvägg (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · ru околопло́дник (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · fi perikarppi (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · sv perikarp (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · io perikarpo (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · ro pericarp (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · mk околуплодник (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · cmn 果皮 (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · ko 과피 (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · bg околопло́дник (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · fi hedelmän seinä (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · pl perykarp (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · tl balok (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · cy pericarp (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary) · mk перикарп (outermost layer of a ripe fruit or ovary)