🌿 Like a plant 🪴 Very still

plantlike

5.0

Standing very still as if rooted in place

adjective
/ˈplæntˌlaɪk/

: inmóvil

The children remained plantlike during the game of statues, barely even blinking.

Examples

She stood plantlike at the doorway, unable to speak as the crowd cheered.
He waited plantlike in the lobby, hoping not to be noticed by anyone passing by.
The statue stood plantlike in the center of the garden.
He remained plantlike during the meditation session.
She stood plantlike at the doorway, unable to speak as the crowd cheered.
The children remained plantlike during the game of statues, barely even blinking.
He waited plantlike in the lobby, hoping not to be noticed by anyone passing by.

Synonyms

sessile

vsplantlike

Specialized

1 9.9

Attached directly by the base without a stalk and unable to move

is about being very still as if naturally fixed not literally attached

rooted

vsplantlike

5.5

Unable to move because of shock, fear, or surprise

describes being very still as if naturally fixed rather than from shock

Antonyms

active

664 1.0

Operating now and not stopped

mobile

81 2.7

Able to change or move easily

Compounds

plantlike flagellate

Specialized

9.9

A one-celled water living thing that makes food from light and moves with a tail

How Motionless

motionless

41 3.0

rooted

5.5

plantlike

5.0

still

∞ 1.0

fidgety

8 4.8

Surface Forms

plantlike positive

Morphology

plantlike = plant (semi-transparent) = plant + like

The meaning 'motionless as if rooted' is a predictable metaphor from 'plant' + '-like' but requires recognizing the figurative extension.

Etymology

Plantlike comes from plant and -like, and you can think of a plant as 'rooted in place' and not moving. So when a person or thing is plantlike it is very still, as if fixed like a plant.