auxin

noun

aux·in | \ ˈȯk-sən

Definition of auxin

1 : any of various usually acidic organic substances that promote cell elongation in plant shoots and usually regulate other growth processes (such as root initiation): such as

a : indoleacetic acid

b : any of various synthetic substances (such as 2,4-D) resembling indoleacetic acid in activity and used especially in research and agriculture

2 : plant hormone

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Busch’s team identified a gene called EXOCYST70A3 that regulates auxin, without interfering with other pathways. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Salk Institute scientists get to the root of plant growth," 11 July 2019 The current consensus is that the movements of the growth hormone auxin and the proteins that transport it throughout a plant are responsible for such patterns. — Maddie Burakoff, Smithsonian, "Decoding the Mathematical Secrets of Plants’ Stunning Leaf Patterns," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'auxin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for auxin

borrowed from German Auxin, from aux- (borrowed from Greek auxánein "to make grow, increase, strengthen," from aux- "grow" + -an-, verb formative marking completion) + -in -in entry 1 — more at eke entry 2

Note: The name Auxin was introduced by the German chemist Fritz Kögl (1897-1959) and his co-worker at the University of Utrecht, the Dutch chemist Arie Jan Haagen-Smit (1900-77), in the article "Über die Chemie des Wuchsstoffs (Communicated at the meeting of Dec. 19, 1931…by Prof. F.A.F.C. Went)," Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen [Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences], Proceedings of the Section of Sciences, vol. 34 (1931), pp. 1411-1416: "Wir schlagen für den Wuchsstoff die Bezeichnung Auxin (von auxánō [Greek letters] wachsen machen) vor, wobei es sich zur leichteren Namenbildung bei Derivaten empfehlen wird, hierunter die zugrundeliegende frei Säure zu verstehen" ("We suggest for the growth agent the designation auxin (from auxánō to cause to grow), to be recommended for the easier formation of derivative names, including the underlying free acid").

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15 Jul 2019

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The first known use of auxin was in 1933

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More Definitions for auxin

auxin

noun

aux·in | \ ˈȯk-sən

Medical Definition of auxin

: an organic substance that is able in low concentrations to promote elongation of plant shoots and usually to control other specific growth effects broadly : plant hormone