pollen

noun

pol·​len ˈpä-lən 

1

: a mass of microspores in a seed plant appearing usually as a fine dust

2

: a dusty bloom on the body of an insect

Examples of pollen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During sunny and warm summer days, the atmosphere becomes incredibly stable, Macaday said, and in turn traps pollutants from car exhausts, ground-level ozone and pollen in the bowl. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026

This, along with never sleeping in your outdoor clothes, can help cut down on body oil, sweat, dirt, pollen, or bacteria from transferring from your clothes to your bedsheets. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026

As a result, the spirits are crafted with a key ingredient of manuka honey that helps protect the throat paired alongside more soothing botanicals such as bee pollen and chamomile. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026

Altom recommends considering what a plant will drop, too, including leaves, flowers, seeds, and pollen, since all of that can accumulate on the condenser coil. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin pollin-, pollen, from Latin, fine flour

First Known Use

1723, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pollen

• pollen basket
• pollen count
• pollen grain
• pollen mother cell
• pollen sac
• pollen tube

Rhymes for pollen

• cauline
• fallen
• paulin
• befallen
• crestfallen
• tarpaulin

Kids Definition

pollen

noun

pol·​len ˈpäl-ən 

: a mass of tiny particles in the anthers of a flower that fertilize the seeds and usually appear as fine yellow dust

Medical Definition

pollen

noun

pol·​len ˈpäl-ən 

: a mass of male spores in a seed plant appearing usually as a fine dust