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deciduous

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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English

Etymology

From Latin dēciduus (falling down or off), from dēcidō (to fall down).

Pronunciation

Adjective

deciduous (not comparable)

  1. (biology, anatomy) Describing a part that falls off, or is shed, at a particular time or stage of development.
    • 1911, Richard Lydekker, 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Equidae:
      In the Hippoidea there is generally the full series of 44 teeth, but the first premolar is often deciduous or wanting in the lower or in both jaws.
    Antonyms: persistent, permanent
  2. (botany) Of or pertaining to trees which lose their leaves in winter or the dry season.
    Antonyms: evergreen, sempervirent
    Synonym: perdifoil. Compare caducous.
    a deciduous tree
  3. (figurative) Transitory, ephemeral, not lasting.(Can we add an example for this sense?)

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

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