definitions

after-ripening

[ af-ter-rahy-puh-ning, ahf- ]
/ ˈæf tərˌraɪ pə nɪŋ, ˈɑf- /

noun

biochemical or physical changes that occur in a dormant seed to ensure germination and in fruits after harvesting.
the period during which this occurs.

RELATED CONTENT

Ridiculous Clichés Athletes Use After Every GameGrab your helmet and glove: We're throwing around the ridiculous clichés that famous athletes can't stop using. Catch!
READ MORE
The Day After Halloween Is Actually Called HallowmasHalloween is actually just the beginning of a string of otherworldly holidays. The tricks, treats, and customs of Halloween, now mostly secular, are based in part on an ancient Christian festival that spans November 1st and 2nd. 
READ MORE

Nearby words

after one's own heart, after the fact, after-dinner, after-hours, after-party, after-ripening, after-run, after-school, afterbeat, afterbirth, afterbody

Origin of after-ripening

First recorded in 1840–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for after-ripening

after-ripening

noun

botany the period of internal change that is necessary in some apparently mature seeds before germination can occur
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012