nastic

¹

[ nas-tik ]

adjective

, Botany.

1. of or showing sufficiently greater cellular force or growth on one side of an axis to change the form or position of the axis.

-nastic

²

1. a combining form occurring in adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -nasty:

   hyponastic.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nastic¹

1900–10; < Greek nast ( ós ) pressed close, stamped down, firm (equivalent to nad- stem of nássein to press, squeeze + -tos past participle suffix, with dt > st ) + -ic

Origin of nastic²

nastic

Example Sentences

There is no line of demarcation between tropic and nastic movements.

From Project Gutenberg

Moreover, the tropic action of unilateral light may become nastic by internal diffusion of excitation.

From Project Gutenberg

The employment of the term 'nastic' is, however, convenient when used in a well-defined and restricted sense.

From Project Gutenberg

No sharp distinction can therefore be made between the movements of growth and of variation, between tropic and nastic curvatures.

From Project Gutenberg

I have already referred to the distinction that is made between nastic and paratonic movements.

From Project Gutenberg