root hair

noun

Definition of root hair

: a filamentous extension of an epidermal cell near the tip of a rootlet that functions in absorption of water and minerals — see seedling illustration

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Recent Examples of root hair from the Web

Once the tree roots reach the edge, the leading root hairs grow through but then are pinched by the fabric.

— adrian higgins, idahostatesman, "Preparing trees to go from green pastures to the concrete jungle | Idaho Statesman," 20 Dec. 2017
When your plant is transplanted, it can be stressed if there is damage to root hairs, as this will impede water absorption until the plant can replace them.

— rita perwich, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Transplanting rosebush need not be thorny issue," 5 Oct. 2017

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