caducous

American  

[kuh-doo-kuhs, -dyoo-] / kəˈdu kəs, -ˈdyu- /

adjective

1. Botany. dropping off very early, as leaves.

2. Zoology. subject to shedding.

3. transitory; perishable.

---

caducous British  

/ kəˈdjuːkəs /

adjective

1. biology (of parts of a plant or animal) shed during the life of the organism

---

caducous Scientific  

/ kə-do̅o̅′kəs /

1. Detaching or dropping off at an early stage of development. The gills of most amphibians and the sepals or stipules of certain plants are caducous.

---

Etymology

Origin of caducous

First recorded in 1675–85 for obsolete sense; 1805–10 for current senses; from Latin cadūcus “unsteady, perishable,” equivalent to cad(ere) “to fall” + -ūcus adjective suffix ( see -ous)