abscisic acid

[ ab-sis-ik, -siz- ]

nounBiochemistry.

a growth-regulating plant hormone, C15H20O4, that promotes dormancy and the aging and abscission of leaves.

Origin of abscisic acid

¹

abscis(sion) + -ic, on the model of the earlier name abscisin (see -in²), coined in 1961

Words Nearby abscisic acid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Scientific definitions for abscisic acid

abscisic acid

[ ăb-sĭz′ĭk ]

A plant hormone that maintains the water balance of plants, prevents seed embryos from germinating, and induces the dormancy of buds and seeds. Chemical formula: C15H20O4.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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