Question

samara noun Not familiar with the term "samara" referring to the winged fruit of the elm, ash, maple, and sycamore, among other trees? Then how about "key," "whirlybird," "helicopter," "whirligig," or "spinning jenny"? Those nicknames are all excellent descriptors of a samara. A samara resembles a key and when it falls its unique shape enables it to spin like a helicopter's rotor and drift away from its tree. Botanists began using the term "samara" in the late 16th century. In Latin, it means literally "seed of the elm." : a dry indehiscent usually one-seeded winged fruit (as of an ash or elm tree)

Accepted Answer

May 24, 2011 SAM-uh-ruh Pairs of samaras grew along the maple tree's branches.  "The samara looks much like a tiny green round ravioli, or those dots of explosive caps for toy guns of the past. These are the fruit of the elm tree, with the seed forming a reddish bump in the middle." -- From an article by Marilyn Sallee, posted February 22nd, 2011, on the Native Plant Society of Texas web site

Word	samara
Date	May 24, 2011
Type	noun
Syllables	SAM-uh-ruh
Etymology	Not familiar with the term "samara" referring to the winged fruit of the elm, ash, maple, and sycamore, among other trees? Then how about "key," "whirlybird," "helicopter," "whirligig," or "spinning jenny"? Those nicknames are all excellent descriptors of a samara. A samara resembles a key and when it falls its unique shape enables it to spin like a helicopter's rotor and drift away from its tree. Botanists began using the term "samara" in the late 16th century. In Latin, it means literally "seed of the elm."
Examples	Pairs of samaras grew along the maple tree's branches. "The samara looks much like a tiny green round ravioli, or those dots of explosive caps for toy guns of the past. These are the fruit of the elm tree, with the seed forming a reddish bump in the middle." -- From an article by Marilyn Sallee, posted February 22nd, 2011, on the Native Plant Society of Texas web site
Definition	: a dry indehiscent usually one-seeded winged fruit (as of an ash or elm tree)

Samara Fruit Term Winged Elm Noun Sam Uh Ruh Familiar