1. plural of elater; small, springy structures found in liverworts and hornworts that help disperse spores
Usage: botany; technical
2. plural of elater; click beetles or their larvae, which can spring or flip themselves when on their backs
Usage: zoology; technical

Examples

• The elaters in the liverwort capsule coil and uncoil as humidity changes, flinging spores into the air.
• Elaters are specialized cells that aid in spore dispersal in bryophytes.
• The elaters of click beetles contain a special mechanism that produces an audible click sound.
• When a click beetle lands on its back, it uses its elaters to propel itself upward.
• Scientists study elaters to understand how plants evolved mechanisms for seed and spore distribution.