Having a calix or calyx; possessing cup-shaped structures, especially in botanical or biological contexts.
From calix (Latin 'cup') plus the suffix -ate meaning 'having' or 'characterized by.' This technical term is most common in botanical terminology for describing flower structures.
When botanists look at flowers and describe them as calicate, they're basically saying 'this flower has fancy cup-holders'—and those cups are actually super important for protecting the flower's most delicate parts!
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