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Glite Dictionary
to cutinize

to cutinize

9.9
To make outer plant cells form a hard, waxy layer that stops water loss
  • verb
  • Specialized
: cutinizar
  • The outer cell walls cutinize to form a protective barrier against water loss.

Examples

  • Under certain conditions, leaves may cutinize more extensively to adapt to dry climates.

  • Researchers observed that some tissues failed to cutinize properly in mutant plants.

  • The plant cells can cutinize to protect themselves.

  • Some plants cutinize their tissues to prevent water loss.

  • The outer cell walls cutinize to form a protective barrier against water loss.

  • Under certain conditions, leaves may cutinize more extensively to adapt to dry climates.

  • Researchers observed that some tissues failed to cutinize properly in mutant plants.

Surface Forms

cutinize infinitive
cutinized past
cutinized past participle
cutinizing present participle
cutinizes third person singular

Morphology

cutinize = cutin (transparent) = cutin + ize

Formed by the regular productive suffix '-ize' attached to the noun 'cutin', so the meaning 'to make or become impregnated with cutin' is predictable for speakers familiar with 'cutin'; the term is specialist vocabulary.

Etymology

Cutinize comes from cutin, the waxy material that acts like a plant 'skin', and the suffix -ize, which means 'to make' or 'to become'. So to cutinize is to make plant cells form a waxy, protective skin that helps stop water loss.