tropo-, trop-, -tropal, -trope(s), -tropic, -tropism, -tropia, -tropous, -tropy, trep-

(Greek: bend, curve, turn, a turning; response to stimulus)

Don't confuse this tropo-, -tropy element with tropho-, meaning "food, nourishment, nutrition".

acrotropism, acrotropic
An orientation response resulting in the continued growth of a plant in the direction in which growth originally commenced.
aerotropism, aerotropic
1. Movement of an organism toward (positive aerotropism) or away from (negative aerotropism) a supply of air.
2. The growth or movement of an organism toward an air supply; such as, an air bubble in a bacterial culture chamber. 4. An orientation response to a gaseous stimulus.
ageotropism (s), ageotropisms (pl) (nouns)
1. The absence of orientation movements in response to gravity: "When participating in a space flight simulator, the astronaut experienced ageotropism and so he had no sense of responding to gravity."
2. Turning away from the earth: "The student was studying plant ageotropism and so she was growing plants in a gravity free environment."
3. A reference to parts of plants that would be expected to grow as gravity pulls them down, but instead grow upward; such as, the knee roots of cypress trees: "She tripped over the ageotropisms of the tree in the swamp because the roots were sticking up out of the earth."
allotropy, allotropism
1. The existence of a solid substance in different physical forms.

Tin, for example, has metallic and non-metallic crystalline forms. Carbon has two crystalline allotropes: diamond and graphite.

The term allotropes may also be used to refer to the molecular forms of an element; such as, a diatomic gas, even if there is only one such additional form.

2. The existence of an element in two or more distinct forms with different physical properties.
amphitropous
Half inverted and straight, with the hilum (scar or point of attachment of the seed) lateral; an ovule that is curved back along its funiculus (free stalk of an ovule or seed) so that the base and micropyle (minute opening on the ovule through which the pollen tube usually enters) are close together. Describes an ovule or a seed.
anatropous
An ovule that is inverted and straight, with the micropyle next to the hilum and the radicle (portion of the embryo below the cotyledons that will form the roots, more properly called the caudicle) consequently inferior (lower or below).
anisotropic (adjective)
1. Having unequal responses to external stimuli: "After her stroke, the patient exhibited an anisotropic response to physical stimuli on her left side."
2. Having properties that vary depending on the various directions of measurements: "A crystal has an anisotropic structure because it is stronger along its length than it is from side to side."
3. Not having properties that are the same in all directions: "When measuring the transmission of light through the colored glass, the scientist noted a distinct anisotropic pattern because the properties differed depending on the direction in which he turned the glass."
4. Showing different properties as to velocity of light transmission, conductivity of heat or electricity, compressibility, and so on, in different directions: "The early scholars of astronomy noted the anisotropic and varying properties of light, heat, etc. of the stars which they could see."
anisotropy
1. The departure of cosmic microwave radiation from equal intensity in all direcions.
2. The property of a plant that assumes a certain position in response to an external stimulus.
3. The condition of having unequal responses to external stimuli.
apogeotropic (adjective)
Characterized by the response by an organism of turning away from the earth; such as, plant stems and leaves that grow upward.
apogeotropism (noun)
The growth or orientation certain plants away from the earth; negative geotropism.
apogeotropy (s), apogeotropies (pl) (noun forms)
The tendency of leaves or other parts of a plant to turn upward or away for the earth; negative geotropism.
Atropos
In Greek mythology, one of the three Fates who influenced human destiny. Atropos was known as the Inexorable, and carried the shears that cut the thread of life.
The fates spinning and determining the length of human lives.

The Greek goddesses of destiny. In Greek mythology, the three goddesses, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, often depicted as women of advanced years spinning, were believed to decree the events in and duration of someone’s life. The Greeks believed that Clotho spun the thread that represented a person’s life, Lachesis decided the extent (or length) of it, and Atropos was the one who cut it at the determined span of time.

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autotropic
In botany and biology, tending to grow in straight line, regardless of external factors.
autotropism
In botany, the tendency to grow in a straight line unaffected by external factors.
barotropic

Inter-related cross references involving word units meaning "bend, curve, turn": diversi-; diverticul-; flect-, flex-; gyro-; meand-; -plex; streph-; stroph-; tors-; verg-; vers-; volv-.