geotropism

noun

ge·​ot·​ro·​pism jē-ˈä-trə-ˌpi-zəm 

: a tropism (as of plant roots or shoots) in which gravity is the orienting factor : gravitropism

Exactly how roots perceive and transduce gravity has not yet been fully explained, which is surprising because root geotropism has been investigated for more than 100 years.

—Lewis J. Feldman

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Geotropismus, from geo- geo- + -tropismus -tropism

Note: The term was introduced by the German botanist and plant physiologist Albert Bernhard Frank (1839-1900) in Beiträge zur Pflanzenphysiologie (Leipzig, 1868), p. 85.

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

geotropism

noun

ge·​ot·​ro·​pism jē-ˈä-trə-ˌpiz-əm 

: a tropism involving turning or movement toward the earth

geotropic

ˌjē-ə-ˈtrō-pik

-ˈträp-ik

adjective

Medical Definition

geotropism

noun

ge·​ot·​ro·​pism jē-ˈä-trə-ˌpiz-əm 

: a tropism in which gravity is the orienting factor