adjective
inductive
Causing a biological or chemical process to begin.
The tissue releases an inductive signal that starts organ development.
Etymology
The Latin verb means to bring on. Inductive describes something that initiates or stimulates a process, drawing it into activity from its prior state.
More examples
- Short days provide the inductive conditions that trigger flowering.
- Without an inductive signal, these cells do not begin dividing.
- The experiment tests the compound's inductive effect on enzyme production.
Forms
inductive
induce verb — To cause a process to begin.
Similar words
- initiating
- Emphasizes starting a process, without specifying biology or chemistry.
- activating
- Emphasizes making an inactive substance or biological system active.