tropism

From -tropism, from geotropism and heliotropism,[1] from Latin tropus (English trope, from Ancient Greek τρόπος (trópos, “a turn, way, manner, style, a trope or figure of speech, a mode in music, a mode or mood in logic”), from τροπή (tropḗ, “turn; solstice; trope”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtɹəʊ.pɪz.əm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtɹoʊ.pɪz.əm/

• Audio (RP)

  (file)

tropism (countable and uncountable, plural tropisms)

1. (biology) The turning of an organism in response to a stimulus, either towards or away from the stimulus.
2. (virology) That type of organ, tissue or cell which supports a certain virus.
3. (figurative) An instinctive tendency or predilection.
   • 1911, Isaac Amada Cornelison, The Natural History of Religious Feeling: A Question of Miracles in the Soul, page 10:

     Gregarious animals have a positive tropism toward the members of their own flock.

(biology): Distinguished from taxis in that in a taxis, the organism has motility and moves towards or away from stimulus (e.g., bacteria, animals), while in a tropism the organism is not motile, and simply turns or grows towards or away from stimulus (e.g., plants, fungi). Similarly, kinesis is distinguished as non-directional movement.

In compound terms, analyzed as suffix -tropism, not stand-alone tropism.

See terms derived from -tropism for compounds.

• trophism (not to be confused with)

• imports, primost, promist

From French tropisme.

tropism n (plural tropisme)

1. tropism