prophyll

noun

pro·​phyll

ˈprōˌfil

variants or less commonly prophyllum

prōˈfiləm

plural prophylls

-lz

also prophylla

-lə

: a plant structure resembling a leaf (as a bracteole) or consisting of a modified or rudimentary leaf (as a foliar primordium)

Word History

Etymology

New Latin prophyllum, from pro- entry 1 + -phyllum

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!