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Glite Dictionary
geotropism

geotropism

9.5
Growth or movement of a living thing caused by gravity, like roots growing down
  • noun
  • /ˌdʒiːəˈtrɒpɪzəm/
  • Specialized
: geotropismo
  • In many plants, roots demonstrate geotropism by growing downward towards the earth under the influence of gravity.

Examples

  • Roots on most desert plants, like those on relatives that grow where water is plentiful, exhibit positive geotropism; that is, they grow downward in response to gravity.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The scientists believe that a mechanism called hydrotropism can actually override geotropism.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The geotropism of plant shoots allows them to grow upward, seeking sunlight as gravity pulls roots deeper into the soil.

  • Understanding geotropism is essential for botanists, as it explains how plants orient their growth in relation to gravitational forces.

Surface Forms

geotropism singular
geotropisms plural

Morphology

geotropism = tropism (semi-transparent) = geo + trop + ism

The word is built by adding geo- to tropism, but the scientific meaning is specialized and not fully predictable for an average learner.

Etymology

Geotropism comes from the parts geo- meaning 'earth' and trop- meaning 'to turn'. So, geotropism is a plant's way of turning or growing because of the Earth's pull, with roots turning down and shoots turning up.