What does pistil mean?
A pistil is the central female reproductive organ of a flower. It is usually made up of three parts: the stigma, which receives pollen; the style, a stalk connecting the stigma to the ovary; and the ovary, which contains the ovules. After pollen reaches the stigma, a pollen tube can grow toward an ovule, enabling fertilization and the later development of seeds and fruit. The word is especially useful in botany and horticulture, where describing the structure of a flower accurately is important. Although pistil and carpel are sometimes used loosely as equivalents, they are not always interchangeable: a carpel is a fundamental unit of the female reproductive structure, and a flower may have one or more pistils, each corresponding to one or more carpels. A pistil should also not be confused with the stigma, which is only its pollen-receiving upper part.
nounThe central female reproductive organ of a flower, comprising the stigma, style, and ovary. It receives pollen and contains the ovules that can develop into seeds after fertilization.
- The female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary.
"The flower’s bright yellow stamens surround a slender pistil at the center."
"Pollen grains landed on the moist stigma, allowing the flower’s single pistil to be fertilized."
"The botanist used a microscope to examine the pistil and the ovules enclosed within its ovary."
The standard plural of pistil is “pistils.”
"Several pistils are visible in the center of the flower."
A flower’s pistil is its female reproductive structure, while the surrounding stamens perform the male role.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pistil come from?
The word entered English in the 17th century from Latin pistillum, meaning “a small pestle.” Latin pistillum was a diminutive of pistrix, the source of English pestle. The botanical meaning developed through the resemblance between the slender organ and a pestle. Modern derivatives such as pistillate, meaning “having or consisting of pistils,” and pistilliform, meaning “resembling a pistil,” continue the Latin root.
Related word forms
How pistil is actually used
This is primarily a botanical term. In general botanical usage, it is more specific than “carpel,” which can refer to one or more pistils or to the broader female reproductive structure of a flower.
Easily confused with pistil
The stigma is only the pollen-receiving tip of a pistil, whereas the pistil includes the stigma, style, and ovary.