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heliotropism

[ hee-lee-o-truh-piz-uhm, hee-lee-uh-troh-piz-uhm ]
/ ˌhi liˈɒ trəˌpɪz əm, ˌhi li əˈtroʊ pɪz əm /
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noun
heliotropic tendency or growth.
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Origin of heliotropism

First recorded in 1850–55; helio- + -tropism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use heliotropism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for heliotropism

heliotropism
/ (ˌhiːlɪˈɒtrəˌpɪzəm) /

noun
the growth of plants or plant parts (esp flowers) in response to the stimulus of sunlight, so that they turn to face the sun

Derived forms of heliotropism

heliotropic (ˌhiːlɪəʊˈtrɒpɪk), adjectiveheliotropically, adverb
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

Scientific definitions for heliotropism

heliotropism
[ hē′lē-ŏtrə-pĭz′əm ]

The growth or movement of a fixed organism, especially a plant, toward or away from sunlight. Heliotropism can be easily seen in sunflowers, which slowly turn their large flowers so that they continually face the sun.

Other words from heliotropism

heliotropic adjective (hēl′lē-ə-trōpĭk, -trŏpĭk)
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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