etiolation

American  

[ee-tee-uh-lay-shuhn] / ˌi ti əˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

plural

etiolations

1. the process or result of becoming weak or drained of vigor; enfeeblement.

2. Horticulture. the process or result of etiolating a plant.

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etiolation Scientific  

/ ē′tē-ə-lā′shən /

1. A pathological condition of plants that grow in places that provide insufficient light, as under stones. It is characterized by elongated stems and pale color due to lack of chlorophyll.

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Other Word Forms

• de-etiolation noun

Example Sentences

Perhaps he overlooked the packets’ stern warnings about overcrowding and etiolation and damping off, their instructions to carefully sprinkle pre-wetted soil extremely sparsely with, say, five seeds at a time.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 23, 2019

Its withdrawal does not so immediately destroy the plant, being attended with the etiolation of the parts that are usually colored, but a sudden re-exposure to the sun's rays will now destroy the plant.

From American Pomology Apples by Warder, J. A.

He indicated that a favorable combination of etiolation, moisture, rooting medium, and a root-inducing chemical was desirable for successful rooting.

From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting Rochester, N.Y. August 31 and September 1, 1953 by Northern Nut Growers Association

Achromatism -- N. achromatism†; decoloration†, discoloration; pallor, pallidness, pallidity†; paleness &c. adj.; etiolation; neutral tint, monochrome, black and white.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

The last, in its wild state, is said to be pernicious, but etiolation changes the products and renders them harmless.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 829, November 21, 1891 by Various