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excurrent

American  
[ik-skur-uhnt, -skuhr-] / ɪkˈskɜr ənt, -ˈskʌr- /

adjective

  1. running out or forth.

  2. Zoology. giving passage outward; affording exit.

    the excurrent canal of certain sponges.

  3. Botany.

    1. having the axis prolonged so as to form an undivided main stem or trunk, as the stem of the spruce.

    2. projecting beyond the apex, as the midrib in certain leaves.


excurrent British  
/ ɛkˈskʌrənt /

adjective

  1. zoology having an outward flow, as certain pores in sponges, ducts, etc

  2. botany

    1. (of veins) extending beyond the margin of the leaf

    2. having an undivided main stem or trunk, as the spruce and other conifers

  3. flowing or running in an outward direction

"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

Etymology

Origin of excurrent

1595–1605; < Latin excurrent- (stem of excurrēns ) present participle of excurrere to run forth. See ex- 1, current

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.

Each shipworm has an incurrent siphon, which takes in water, and an excurrent siphon, which expels waste.

From New York Times

In certain knots, the excurrent siphons of different shipworms appeared to be wrestling with each other in competition, pulling incurrent siphons away from groping the excurrent ones.

From New York Times

These zooids have an incurrent and excurrent siphon and use cilia to pump water for feeding, respiration and movement. Using a mucus net, they filter water for small planktonic microorganisms.

From Washington Post

Pod oblong, longer than the calyx, 1–2-seeded, roughened, tardily dehiscent.—Shrubs, with odd-pinnate leaves; the leaflets marked with minute dots, usually stipellate, the midvein excurrent.

From Project Gutenberg

Achenes top-shaped, 5-costate, villous; pappus of 5–10 long thin scales, awn-tipped by the excurrent nerve.—Erect herbs with alternate leaves and large showy heads of yellow or purplish fragrant flowers on terminal or scapiform peduncles.

From Project Gutenberg