circumnutate

[ sur-kuhm-noo-teyt, -nyoo- ]

verb (used without object)

, cir·cum·nu·tat·ed, cir·cum·nu·tat·ing.

1. (of the apex of a stem or other growing part of a plant) to bend or move around in an irregular circular or elliptical path.

Other Words From

• circum·nu·tation noun
• cir·cum·nu·ta·to·ry [sur-k, uh, m-, noo, -t, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, -, nyoo, -], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of circumnutate¹

1875–80; circum- + nutate < Latin nūtātus, past participle of nūtāre to nod in assent, sway, totter

Example Sentences

The central idea of the book is that the movements of plants in relation to light, gravitation, &c., are modifications of a spontaneous tendency to revolve or circumnutate, which is widely inherent in the growing parts of plants.

From Project Gutenberg

It is not that they cease to circumnutate in darkness, for in all the many cases observed by us they continued to do so; but the normal order of their movements in relation to the alternations of day and night is much disturbed or quite annulled.

From Project Gutenberg

In order to learn whether the tentacles or gland-bearing hairs circumnutate, the back of a young leaf, with the innermost tentacles as yet incurved, was firmly cemented with shellac to a flat stick driven into compact damp argillaceous sand.

From Project Gutenberg

We may therefore conclude that the tentacles when old do not circumnutate; yet this tentacle was so sensitive, that in 23 seconds after its gland had been merely touched with a bit of raw meat, it began to curl inwards.

From Project Gutenberg

We may therefore infer that an old and only moderately sensitive leaf does not circumnutate plainly; but we shall soon see that it by no means follows that such a leaf is absolutely motionless.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amble
• cruise
• drift
• float
• hike
• meander
• ramble
• roam
• saunter
• straggle
• stray
• stroll
• traipse
• trek