1. Specialized aerial roots that grow upward from the soil or water and function in gas exchange for plants growing in waterlogged or anaerobic environments.
Usage: plural form; botany; commonly found in mangroves and other wetland plants
2. In zoology, gas-filled structures or chambers in certain aquatic organisms that aid in buoyancy and respiration.
Usage: plural form; zoology; less common usage

Examples

• Mangrove trees develop pneumatophores that extend above the waterline to absorb oxygen.
• The pneumatophores of the swamp cypress help the plant survive in oxygen-poor soil.
• Scientists study pneumatophores to understand how wetland plants adapt to flooded conditions.
• The distinctive knee-like pneumatophores of cypress trees are visible along the bayou.
• Without pneumatophores, many mangrove species could not thrive in their coastal habitats.