mesic

¹ American  

[mez-ik, mes-, mee-zik, -sik] / ˈmɛz ɪk, ˈmɛs-, ˈmi zɪk, -sɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or adapted to an environment having a balanced supply of moisture.

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mesic ² American  

[mee-zik, -sik, mez-ik, mes-] / ˈmi zɪk, -sɪk, ˈmɛz ɪk, ˈmɛs- /

adjective

Physics.

1. of or relating to a meson; mesonic.

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mesic British  

/ ˈmiːzɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or growing in conditions of medium water supply

   mesic plants

2. of or relating to a meson

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mesic Scientific  

/ mĕz′ĭk,mĕs′-,mē′zĭk,-sĭk /

1. Relating or adapted to a moderately moist habitat. The sugar maple, white ash, and basswood are mesic plants.

2. Compare hydric xeric

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Other Word Forms

• mesically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of mesic¹

First recorded in 1925–30; mes- + -ic

Origin of mesic²

First recorded in 1935–40; mes(on) + -ic

Example Sentences

Studying these mesic nuclei can help scientists understand how the strong nuclear force behaves and how the vacuum changes in extremely dense environments.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

This combination is known as a mesic nucleus.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

Much of the rest of the country consists of mesic savanna—dense shrubland alternating with impenetrable swamp—which is largely beyond the reach of government.

From The New Yorker • May 4, 2015

By contrast, many dry and mesic, low-elevation and mid-montane forests historically experienced more frequent low-severity fires that maintained relatively open forest structures of fire-resistant trees33, 34, 40, across about 25% of western US forests36.

From Nature • Nov. 4, 2014

Since the time when a more mesic boreal environment occurred at San Josecito, climatic shifts have favored more xeric conditions as are found in the vicinity of the cave today.

From Pleistocene Pocket Gophers From San Josecito Cave, Nuevo Leon, Mexico by Russell, Robert J.