tropism

tro·pism

noun \ˈtrō-ˌpi-zəm\

Definition of TROPISM

1

a : involuntary orientation by an organism or one of its parts that involves turning or curving by movement or by differential growth and is a positive or negative response to a source of stimulation b : a reflex reaction involving a tropism

2

: an innate tendency to react in a definite manner to stimuli; broadly : a natural inclination : propensity <encouraged his tropism toward the theatrical — John Updike>

— tro·pis·tic \trō-ˈpis-tik\ adjective

Origin of TROPISM

International Scientific Vocabulary -tropism

First Known Use: 1899

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

Rhymes with TROPISM

abysm, ageism, autism, baalism, baptism, Birchism, bossism, bruxism, Buddhism, casteism, centrism, charism, Chartism, classism, cubism, cultism, czarism, deism, dwarfism, faddism, fauvism, Gaullism, Grecism, Hobbism, holism, Jainism, Klanism, leftism, lyrism, Mahdism, Maoism, Marxism, monism, mutism, Nazism, nudism, Orphism, priggism, purism, Ramism, rightism, sadism, Saivism, sapphism, Scotism, sexism, Shaktism, Shiism, Sikhism, simplism, snobbism, sophism, statism, Sufism, tachism, Tantrism, Taoism, theism, Thomism, tourism, truism, Turkism, verism, Whiggism, Yahwism