tropism

tro·pism  (trpzm)

n.

The turning or bending movement of an organism or a part toward or away from an external stimulus, such as light, heat, or gravity.

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[From -tropism.]

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tropic, tro·pistic adj.

tro·pisti·cal·ly adv.

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tropism

Noun

the tendency of a plant or animal to turn or curve in response to an external stimulus [Greek tropos a turn]

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tropism  (trpzm)

The growth or movement of a living organism or anatomical structure toward or away from an external stimulus, such as light, heat, or gravity. See also geotropismhydrotropismphototropism

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tropistic adjective

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tropism

the tendency of a plant, animal, or part to move or turn in response to an external stimulus, as sunlight or temperature. — tropistic, adj.

See also: Motion

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

tropism - an involuntary orienting response; positive or negative reaction to a stimulus source response, reaction - a bodily process occurring due to the effect of some antecedent stimulus or agent; "a bad reaction to the medicine"; "his responses have slowed with age" ergotropism - an affinity for work geotropism - an orienting response to gravity heliotropism - an orienting response to the sun meteortropism - an effect of climate on biological processes (as the effect on joint pains etc.) neurotropism - an affinity for neural tissues phototropism - an orienting response to light trophotropism - an orienting response to food thermotropism - an orienting response to warmth