What does pericarp mean?
A pericarp is the fruit wall: the outer covering of a fruit that develops from the ovary wall after fertilization. It surrounds and protects the seeds and may have very different textures depending on the species, ranging from the juicy flesh of a tomato to the hard, stony shell of a peach pit. Botanists sometimes distinguish layers within the pericarp, such as the thin outer exocarp, fleshy mesocarp, and tough inner endocarp. These divisions are not equally evident in every fruit, so the term does not always imply a rigid three-part structure. Pericarp is especially useful in plant biology, agriculture, and food science when discussing fruit development, seed protection, dispersal, and the structure of edible produce. In ordinary usage, the related everyday phrase is generally not needed, but the precise botanical term makes it possible to identify the fruit structure independently of the fruit's name or taste.
nounThe outer wall of a fruit, developing from the ovary wall and enclosing the seeds. In some fruits, such as oranges and peaches, it is differentiated into distinct layers.
- The outer wall of a fruit, developing from the ovary wall and enclosing the seeds.
"The fruit's thick, fleshy pericarp is edible, while its seeds lie in the central cavity."
"The seed is protected by a hard, woody pericarp."
"Botanists can often identify a fruit by the texture and structure of its pericarp."
The plural is used when referring to the fruit walls of multiple fruits or multiple botanical specimens.
"The researchers compared the thickness of the pericarps in the two varieties."
A fruit's pericarp can become anything from a peach's juicy flesh to a peach pit's hard shell.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pericarp come from?
Pericarp comes from Greek peri, meaning 'around' or 'surrounding', and karpos, meaning 'fruit'. The term was developed as a botanical designation for the fruit wall surrounding the seeds. Greek karpos also underlies words such as carpel, carpology, and carpophore, while the prefix in perimeter reflects the same idea of being around or surrounding something.
Related word forms
How pericarp is actually used
This is primarily a botanical term. It is usually singular when referring to the fruit wall of an individual fruit, though 'pericarps' can also be used when discussing multiple fruit walls.
Easily confused with pericarp
A pericarp is the wall of a fruit, whereas a periosteum is the membrane covering the outer surface of a bone.
A carpel is the female reproductive structure of a flower, while the pericarp is the fruit wall that develops from the ovary wall after fertilization.