root hair

noun

an elongated tubular extension of an epidermal cell of a root, serving to absorb water and minerals from the soil.

Origin of root hair

First recorded in 1855–60

Words nearby root hair

root doctor, root filament, root for, root ginger, root graft, root hair, root knot, root mean square, root nodule, root of lung, root of nail

Example sentences from the Web for root hair

  • The extent of the root-hair region will vary according to the vigour and development of the roots and the nature of the soil.

    A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses |Rai Bahadur K. Ranga Achariyar

  • The outside of the root-hair is bathed in solutions rich in nourishment.

    Agriculture for Beginners |Charles William Burkett

  • The nourishment passes from the outside to the inside through the delicate membrane of the root-hair.

    Agriculture for Beginners |Charles William Burkett

British Dictionary definitions for root hair

root hair

noun

any of the hollow hairlike outgrowths of the outer cells of a root, just behind the tip, that absorb water and salts from the soil

Scientific definitions for root hair

root hair

A hairlike outgrowth of a plant root that absorbs water and minerals from the soil. Root hairs are tubular extensions of the epidermis that greatly increase the surface area of the root. They are constantly dying off and being replaced by new ones as the root grows and extends itself into the soil.