noun

• 1Botany
  An embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first leaves to appear from a germinating seed.

  ‘The cotyledons are the ‘seed leaves’ produced by the embryo.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘However, protein biosynthesis in the axis organs and cotyledons of dicotyledonous seeds commences much earlier.’
  • ‘Mutants of this class display shortened hypocotyls and small cotyledons after irradiation of seed.’
  • ‘They are present on the stems, leaves, cotyledons, rachises, pedicles, bracts and calyces.’
  • ‘The layer between seed coat and cotyledon probably includes the wall of the embryo sac.’

  Synonyms

  frond

• 2A succulent plant of the stonecrop family, some kinds of which are grown as ornamentals.

  Genus Cotyledon and related genera, family Crassulaceae: several species