chemotropism

American

[ki-mo-truh-piz-uhm] / kɪˈmɒ trəˌpɪz əm /

noun

Biology.

oriented growth or movement in response to a chemical stimulus.

chemotropism British

/ ˌkɛməʊˈtrəʊˌpɪzəm /

noun

the growth response of an organism, esp a plant, to a chemical stimulus

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of chemotropism

First recorded in 1895–1900; chemo- + -tropism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

chemotropism

It is chemotropism, not solicitude for its offspring, which drives the flesh fly to lay its eggs on decaying meat.

From Being Well-Born An Introduction to Eugenics by Michael F. Guyer

Herbst pointed out that this might be a case of chemotropism, caused by the oxygen surrounding the egg.

From Darwin and Modern Science by A. C. (Albert Charles) Seward

Such attraction is called chemotropism and is supposed to be due in the cases mentioned, to the action of chemical substances such as are given off by the bacteria or the dead cells.

From Disease and Its Causes by William Thomas Councilman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023