pollinator
pollinator Lexical Profile
pollinator Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An animal or other agent (such as a bee, butterfly, bird, or bat) that transfers pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma, enabling fertilization and seed production.
"Planting native wildflowers in urban gardens helps support local honeybees and other vital pollinators."
A plant or specific cultivar that provides compatible pollen to fertilize another plant variety, especially in commercial fruit orchards.
"Because this apple tree variety is not self-fertile, the orchardist planted a crabapple nearby to act as a reliable pollinator."
Word Nuance & Usage
In horticulture, 'pollinator' is sometimes distinguished from 'pollinizer': a pollinator is the biotic agent (such as a bee or bat) that transports pollen, whereas a pollinizer is the plant or cultivar that serves as the source of compatible pollen.
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the late 19th century from the verb 'pollinate' (derived from Latin 'pollen', stem 'pollin-', meaning 'fine flour' or 'mill dust') plus the agentive suffix '-or'.