circumnutate

[ sur-kuh m-noo-teyt, -nyoo- ]
/ ˌsɜr kəmˈnu teɪt, -ˈnyu- /

verb (used without object), cir·cum·nu·tat·ed, cir·cum·nu·tat·ing.

(of the apex of a stem or other growing part of a plant) to bend or move around in an irregular circular or elliptical path.

Origin of circumnutate

1875–80; circum- + nutate < Latin nūtātus, past participle of nūtāre to nod in assent, sway, totter

OTHER WORDS FROM circumnutate

cir·cum·nu·ta·tion, noun cir·cum·nu·ta·to·ry [sur-kuh m-noo-tuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, -nyoo-] /ˌsɜr kəmˈnu təˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, -ˈnyu-/, adjective

Words nearby circumnutate

circumincession, circumjacent, circumlocution, circumlunar, circumnavigate, circumnutate, circumnutation, circumocular, circumpolar, circumradius, circumrotate

Example sentences from the Web for circumnutation

  • Personally I believe that circumnutation is automatic—is primarily due to internal stimuli.

    Darwin and Modern Science |A.C. Seward and Others

  • It is sufficient for my purpose to point out that Darwin's explanation of circumnutation is not universally accepted.

    Darwin and Modern Science |A.C. Seward and Others

  • The bare fact that circumnutation is a general property of plants (other than climbing species) is not generally rejected.

    Darwin and Modern Science |A.C. Seward and Others

British Dictionary definitions for circumnutation

circumnutation
/ (ˌsɜkəmnjuːˈteɪʃən) /

noun

another name for nutation (def. 3)

Word Origin for circumnutation

C19: from circum- + -nutate, from Latin nūtāre to nod repeatedly, sway