bryophyte UK /ˈbɹʌɪ̯.əˌfʌɪt/US /ˈbɹaɪ̯.əˌfaɪt/ noun1 •Any plant of the division Bryophyta, defined sensu lato to comprise the mosses, liverworts and hornworts and corresponding to all embryophytes that are not vascular plants.Because of their small size and often delicate structure, bryophytes have a poor fossil record, dating back only about 290 million years. — 2002 formsbryophytes