ca·du·cous (k -d  ks, -dy-)adj. Dropping off or shedding at an early stage of development, as the gills of most amphibians or the sepals or stipules of certain plants. [From Latin cad  cus, falling, from cadere, to fall; see kad- in Indo-European roots.] |
caducous [kəˈdjuːkəs]
adj
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) Biology (of parts of a plant or animal) shed during the life of the organism
[from Latin cadūcus falling, from cadere to fall]
| caducous (k-dks) Detaching or dropping off at an early stage of development. The gills of most amphibians and the sepals or stipules of certain plants are caducous. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Adj. | 1. | caducous - shed at an early stage of development; "most amphibians have caducous gills"; "the caducous calyx of a poppy" biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms lasting, persistent - retained; not shed; "persistent leaves remain attached past maturity"; "the persistent gills of fishes" |
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