arborization

[ ahr-ber-uh-zey-shuhn ]

noun

1. a treelike appearance, as in certain minerals or fossils.
2. Anatomy. the branchlike appearance characteristic of certain nerve-cell outgrowths.

arborization

/ ˌɑːbəraɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. a branching treelike appearance in certain fossils and minerals

Word History and Origins

Origin of arborization¹

First recorded in 1785–95; arbor ³ + -ization

Example Sentences

They also showed axonal arborization -- extension of the long, branching arms of neurons that enable the connections between brain cells -- and reacted to the presence of carbon dioxide, which is crucial for breathing control.

From Science Daily

Neuroscientists even call the pattern of growth arborization.

From Salon

We know that if we stress a mouse, for example, you’ll get major decreases in neurogenesis, behavioral changes that are considered “depressive-like”, and decreases in dendrite arborization.

From Scientific American