spore

Everyday

1. A spore is a tiny cell made by fungi, ferns, mosses and some bacteria that can grow into a new living thing. tree →
2. Spores do the job that seeds do in flowering plants, but they are much smaller and have no stored food. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons mushrooms and mould spread by spores carried in the air; ferns have spores on the underside of their leaves. In health and safety, mould spores can make people with asthma ill, so damp rooms need airing. Spores are so small you need a microscope to see one.

Examples

• A mushroom releases millions of spores. tree →
• Mould grows on bread from spores in the air. tree →
• Look for the brown spots of spores under the fern leaf. tree →
• Spores are carried by the wind. tree →
• Some bacteria make spores that survive boiling. tree →
• Damp rooms can be full of mould spores. tree →

Note

Countable; usually used in the plural. Do not confuse with «sport» or «spoor» (an animal's track). Spores are not seeds: seeds come from flowers, spores from fungi, ferns and mosses.