aetheogam

See also: aëtheogam

English

Alternative forms

• aëtheogam

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀήθης (aḗthēs, “unusual”) + γάμος (gámos, “marriage”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ā.ēʹthĭōgăm, IPA^(key): /eɪˈiːθɪəʊɡæm/,

Noun

aetheogam (plural aetheogams)

1. (botany) A cryptogam; a plant of the obsolete taxonomic class Cryptogamia, having neither stamina nor pistils, and therefore no proper flowers, such as an alga, fern, fungus, lichen or moss.

Usage notes

• Being derived from the two vowels ἀή (aḗ) (alpha-eta: aē), rather than the diphthong αἰ (ai) (alpha-iota: ai), the initial ae- of aetheogam can only properly be written as two separate letters (ae), with a diaeresis atop the e (as aëtheogam) being optional; the spellings *ætheogam and *etheogam are, therefore, erroneous.

Synonyms

• cryptogam

Derived terms

• aetheogamous (botany)