orthotropic

American

[awr-thuh-trop-ik, -troh-pik] / ˌɔr θəˈtrɒp ɪk, -ˈtroʊ pɪk /

adjective

Botany. noting, pertaining to, or exhibiting a mode of vertical growth.

orthotropic British

/ ɔːˈθɒtrəˌpɪzəm, ˌɔːθəʊˈtrɒpɪk /

adjective

botany relating to or showing growth that is in direct line with the stimulus
(of a material) having different elastic properties in different planes

"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

Other Word Forms

orthotropism noun

Etymology

Origin of orthotropic

First recorded in 1885–90; ortho- + -tropic

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.

He is now facing misconduct charges for treating people with his "orthotropic" treatments, which he says could render many current orthodontic treatments unnecessary.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2022

The Orthodontist’s recommendation was clear: The Mews’ orthotropic techniques could be an important addition to the toolbox.

From New York Times • Aug. 20, 2020

Nearly all the steel bridges built in Germany today use a German-developed steel plate called orthotropic.

From Time Magazine Archive

Not on an orthotropic bridge, which has instead of a concrete slab a half-as-heavy steel deck serving both as roadway and stress-carrying component of the bridge spans.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023