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tropistic

adjective/trəˈpɪstɪk/

definition

relating to a growth or movement response of an organism toward or away from a stimulus

example

The roots of the plant exhibit a tropistic response, growing toward the water source in search of moisture.

synonyms
tropicdirectionalorientational
word origin — from Greek 'tropistikos', from 'tropos' meaning 'turn' or 'turning'

tropistic, epistolary, octonocular, palladious, mordant: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Ultra set 108. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

  1. tropistic · adjective/trəˈpɪstɪk/

    relating to a growth or movement response of an organism toward or away from a stimulus

    The roots of the plant exhibit a tropistic response, growing toward the water source in search of moisture.

    Synonyms: tropic, directional, orientational

    Origin: from Greek 'tropistikos', from 'tropos' meaning 'turn' or 'turning'

  2. epistolary · adjective/ɪˈpɪs.tə.lɛr.i/

    relating to the writing of letters or literary works in the form of letters

    The novel was written in an epistolary format, allowing readers to delve into the characters' thoughts through their letters.

    Synonyms: lettered, communicative, correspondential

    Origin: from Latin 'epistolaris', from 'epistola' meaning letter

  3. octonocular · adjective/ˌɑktəˈnɑkjələr/

    having eight eyes or optical organs

    The octonocular creature darted through the water, its eight eyes providing a panoramic view of its surroundings.

    Synonyms: octopod, eight-eyed, eight-ocular

    Origin: Derived from the prefix 'octo-' meaning eight, and 'nocular' from the Latin 'ocularis', which pertains to the eyes.

  4. palladious · adjective/pəˈleɪdiəs/

    of or relating to palladium

    The new palladious catalyst demonstrated remarkable efficiency in promoting chemical reactions.

    Synonyms: palladium-related, palladium-based, palladous

    Origin: The word 'palladious' is derived from 'palladium', which comes from the Greek word 'palladion', named after Pallas Athena, a goddess of wisdom and warfare.

  5. mordant · adjective/ˈmɔrdənt/

    having or showing a sharp or critical quality especially in humor

    Her mordant wit often left her friends both amused and slightly uncomfortable at the same time.

    Synonyms: caustic, biting, sharp

    Origin: From Latin 'mordens', present participle of 'mordere' meaning 'to bite'.