marcescent

1 of 2

adjective

mar·​ces·​cent
-nt
of a plant part
: withering without falling off
marcescent leaves

marcescent

2 of 2

noun

"
plural -s
: a plant that has marcescent parts

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin marcescent-, marcescens, present participle of marcescere to wither, inchoative from marcēre to wither; akin to Middle High German mern to dip bread in wine or water, Middle Irish mraich, braich malt, and probably to Greek marainein to waste away

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near marcescent

Cite this Entry

“Marcescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marcescent. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!