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dehiscent - 4 dictionary results

de⋅his⋅cence

   [di-his-uhns]
–noun
1. Biology. the release of materials by the splitting open of an organ or tissue.
2. Botany. the natural bursting open of capsules, fruits, anthers, etc., for the discharge of their contents.
3. Surgery. the bursting open of a surgically closed wound.
Origin:
1820–30; < NL dēhiscentia, equiv. to L dēhiscent- s. of dēhiscēns, prp. of dēhiscere (see dehisce ) + -ia; see -ence
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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de·his·cence     (dĭ-hĭs'əns)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. Botany The spontaneous opening at maturity of a plant structure, such as a fruit, anther, or sporangium, to release its contents.
  2. Medicine A rupture or splitting open, as of a surgical wound, or of an organ or structure to discharge its contents.
de·his'cent adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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dehiscent

adjective
(of e.g. fruits and anthers) opening spontaneously at maturity to release seeds [ant: indehiscent] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Dehiscent

De*his"cent\, a. [L. dehiscens, -entis, p. pr. Cf. F. d['e]hiscent.] Characterized by dehiscence; opening in some definite way, as the capsule of a plant.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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