xeric
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of xeric
First recorded in 1925–30; from Greek xēr(ós) “dry” + -ic ( def. 3 )
Explanation
Habitats so dry that very few plants can grow there are described as xeric. There are several xeric areas in the U.S., including the xeric shrublands near the Grand Canyon. Ecologists sometimes use the terms xeric and arid interchangeably to mean "very dry." You might read about the xeric conditions in the Sahara, or xeric habitats that allow only very short, scrubby bushes to flourish. Plants and animals can also be described as xeric when they're able to survive in a dry environment. The word comes from a Greek root, xeros, "dry."
Vocabulary lists containing xeric
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.
The Xeric Foundation, along with the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, stands as one of comicdom's twin benevolences.
From Time Magazine Archive
An invaluable resource, the Xeric has provided monies to aspiring authors since 1992, resulting in dozens of books that may never have otherwise seen publication.
From Time Magazine Archive
Both of their works prove the value of the Xeric endeavor.
From Time Magazine Archive
Xeric conditions surrounding some of the higher mountains are barriers to movement of some species.
From Birds from Coahuila, Mexico by Urban, Emil K.
Xeric, sandy grassland is chiefly limited to the southwestern quarter of Kansas, and this limitation is perhaps of major significance to these two species.
From The Breeding Birds of Kansas by Johnston, Richard F.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
