noun / verb
root
The anchoring and nourishing underground part of a plant.
The plant's roots absorb water and hold it in place.
Etymology
Old Norse rót means root. The modern botanical sense preserves the plant part that anchors it and draws nourishment from the ground.
More examples
- We loosen the soil so the roots can spread.
- The cutting rooted within two weeks.
- She roots the cuttings in a glass of water.
Forms
root · roots · rooted · rooting
Similar words
- taproot
- Specifically the thick main root that grows vertically downward.
- rootlet
- A small, thin root, often branching from a larger one.