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Glite Dictionary
capillary water

capillary water

6.1
Water held in soil in thin films around grains that plants can use
  • noun
  • /ˈkæpɪˌlɛri ˈwɔːtər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : agua capilar
  • Absorbing nutrients, capillary water clings to soil particles, making them accessible to plants.

Examples

  • The capillary water holds the anions in solution for the plants.

    Blog text (21)

  • Rhizomorphic excavation may increase the substrate's capacity to store capillary water available to the thallus.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The capillary water holds the anions in solution for the plants.

  • The farmer tested the soil to measure the amount of capillary water available for the crops.

Surface Forms

capillary water singular
capillary waters plural

Morphology

capillary + water

The meaning is directly compositional: it denotes water associated with or moved by capillaries/capillary action, so a learner who knows 'capillary' (thin tube/capillary action) and 'water' can infer water held in small pores. Although it is a technical soil‑science term, the noun‑noun combination follows regular, cross‑linguistically common composition patterns and is therefore predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

The noun capillary water uses the image of water moving through very small spaces called capillaries, like the way liquid climbs a paper towel. So, capillary water means the thin layer of 'held' water around soil grains that can still move to plant roots after extra water has drained away.