meristem
[ mer-uh-stem ]
/ ˈmɛr əˌstɛm /
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noun Botany.
embryonic tissue in plants; undifferentiated, growing, actively dividing cells.
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Origin of meristem
1870–75; <Greek merist(ós) divided, distributed (equivalent to *merid-, stem of merízein to divide into parts (derivative of méris part, share) + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + -em<Greek -ēma termination of nouns denoting result of action; cf. -eme
Words nearby meristem
mering, meringue, merino, Merionethshire, merisis, meristem, meristematic, meristic, merit, merit badge, meritocracy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use meristem in a sentence
It isn't interest in apical cell or primary meristem that makes me fret to return to Prof. Darmstetter!
The Bacillus of Beauty|Harriet Stark
British Dictionary definitions for meristem
meristem
/ (ˈmɛrɪˌstɛm) /
noun
a plant tissue responsible for growth, whose cells divide and differentiate to form the tissues and organs of the plant. Meristems occur within the stem (see cambium) and leaves and at the tips of stems and roots
Derived forms of meristem
meristematic (ˌmɛrɪstɪˈmætɪk), adjectiveWord Origin for meristem
C19: from Greek meristos divided, from merizein to divide, from meris portion
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for meristem
meristem
[ mĕr′ĭ-stĕm′ ]
Plant tissue whose cells actively divide to form new tissues that cause the plant to grow. The originally undifferentiated cells of the meristem can produce specialized cells to form the tissues of roots, leaves, and other plant parts. The meristem includes the growing tips of roots and stems (the apical meristems) and the tissue layer known as cambium.
Other words from meristem
meristematic adjective (mĕr′ĭ-stə-măt′ĭk)The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for meristem
meristem
[ (mer-i-stem) ]
The region on a plant where division of cells (and hence growth) occurs. Usually, meristems are found in the shoots and root tips, and places where branches meet the stem. In trees, growth occurs in the cambium — the layer just beneath the bark.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.