noun
- the first leaf or one of the first pair of leaves developed by the embryo of a seed plant
Usage: botany
Examples
- The bean seedling emerged with two large cotyledons.
- Monocots have one cotyledon while dicots have two.
- The cotyledons provide nutrients to the developing plant.
- After germination, the cotyledons appeared above the soil.
- The green cotyledons began photosynthesis immediately.
- Some plants shed their cotyledons as true leaves develop.