achene
nounUK /əˈkiːn/
US /əˈkiːn/
A small, dry seed with a hard shell that does not open to let the seed out.
The strawberry's tiny seeds on the outside are actually little achenes.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A small, one-seeded fruit that stays closed when ripe, such as a sunflower seed.
Each sunflower seed is an achene with a hard outer coat.
3. A dry fruit that does not split open to release its single seed.
The dandelion's fluffy seeds are achenes carried by the wind.
4. A tiny seed-like fruit found on the surface of strawberries and similar plants.
You can see the achenes dotting the outside of a ripe strawberry.