What does angiosperm mean?
An angiosperm is any flowering plant — a member of the largest and most diverse group in the plant kingdom. Unlike gymnosperms such as pines and cycads, which bear exposed or 'naked' seeds, angiosperms produce seeds that develop inside an ovary, a structure that typically matures into a fruit. This group encompasses everything from roses, orchids, and sunflowers to oaks, grasses, and many crop plants, numbering well over 300,000 known species. The term is primarily used in botany and the life sciences, with 'flowering plant' serving as the common-language equivalent. Angiosperms first appear clearly in the fossil record during the Cretaceous period, a relatively sudden emergence that Charles Darwin famously described as an 'abominable mystery'. Understanding the word matters because angiosperms dominate terrestrial ecosystems and supply most of humanity's food, making them central to both biology and agriculture.
nounA flowering plant; a plant of the class Angiospermae whose seeds are enclosed within an ovary that typically develops into a fruit.
- Any flowering plant, i.e. a member of the group Angiospermae, characterized by seeds produced inside an ovary within a flower.
"Roses, oaks, and grasses are all angiosperms, unlike conifers, which bear naked seeds."
"Botanists estimate that there are well over 300,000 angiosperm species alive today."
"The sudden appearance of angiosperms in the fossil record during the Cretaceous period puzzled Darwin, who called it an 'abominable mystery'."
Standard plural form, used when referring to multiple individuals or species of flowering plants.
"Fossils show that angiosperms diversified rapidly during the Cretaceous period."
Angiosperms — the flowering plants — make up roughly 80% of all known living green plants, from towering oaks to the grass on your lawn.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of angiosperm
The word angiosperm derives from Greek elements: 'angeion', meaning vessel or container, combined with 'sperma', meaning seed — literally 'seed contained in a vessel', referring to seeds enclosed within an ovary. The term was coined as part of botanical classification in the 19th century, when scientists formalized the division between plants with enclosed seeds and those with naked ones. It shares its roots with 'gymnosperm', built from the same 'sperma' element but paired with 'gymnos' (naked), giving the two terms a deliberately contrasting pair of names.
How angiosperm is actually used
A technical term used chiefly in botany, paleobotany, and scientific writing rather than everyday conversation; in general contexts, 'flowering plant' is the usual equivalent.
Easily confused with angiosperm
Gymnosperms (such as pines and cycads) bear 'naked' seeds not enclosed in an ovary, whereas angiosperms produce seeds within fruits formed from flowers.