prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
prettygoodword ([personal profile] prettygoodword) wrote2008-09-26 07:19 am

marcescent

marcescent - adj. (Botany) withering without falling off.


As a deciduous leaf staying on the branch over the winter, or a blossom that persists after withering. Oaks often have marcescent leaves. In use since the 1720s, from Latin, from marcēscēns, past participle of marcēscere, an inchoative form of marcēre, to wither.

I'll leave inchoative for another day.

---L.

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