pine-cone

A squirrel holds a pine-cone in its front paws.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The reproductive structure of a pine tree: a "pine-cone" is the woody, cone-shaped fruit of a pine tree, consisting of overlapping scales that protect the seeds. It is typically brown and found on coniferous trees.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • We collected a pine-cone from the forest floor to use as a decoration. (A woody cone from a pine tree.)
  • The squirrel carried a pine-cone up the tree to eat the seeds inside. (The cone's scales contain seeds.)

Advanced Usage

• "pine-cone scale": one of the individual overlapping segments that make up a pine-cone.
  • Each pine-cone scale holds one or two seeds beneath it. (The scale is a small part of the cone.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pine (n): a type of evergreen tree that produces pine-cones.
  • The pine tree in our garden drops its cones every autumn. (The tree itself is called a pine.)
• Cone (n): the general term for the seed-bearing structure of conifers, including pine-cones.
  • Fir trees also produce cones, but they are different from pine-cones. (Cone is the broader category.)

Synonyms

• Cone: a shorter, more general term for the same object.
  • The cone fell from the tree. (This synonym can refer to any conifer cone.)
• Strobilus: a scientific term for the cone structure of conifers.
  • Botanists study the strobilus of pines. (This is a technical synonym.)

Related Idioms

• As dry as a pine-cone: very dry or brittle.
  • The old wood was as dry as a pine-cone and cracked easily. (Used to emphasize extreme dryness.)