trichomes
/ˈtri-ˌkōm How to pronounce trichome (audio) ˈtrī- How to pronounce trichome (audio)/ (ame, mw)
trichomes — noun
1. tiny hair-like or scale-like structures that grow from the outer surface of a pl
tiny hair-like or scale-like structures that grow from the outer surface of a plant, often helping to defend it against insects, reduce water loss, or shield it from strong sunlight
The tiny trichomes on tomato stems give the plant a soft, fuzzy feel when touched.
collocation: trichomes on [plant part]
Some trichomes on nettle leaves contain chemicals that cause a sharp sting on bare skin.
Under the microscope, the trichomes on the mint leaf looked like tiny clear mushrooms.
Esther brushed an agave leaf and felt its thick trichomes trapping the morning dew.
Priya brushed against the cucumber vine and felt its rough trichomes scratch her arm.
- plant hairs
more informal and narrower; trichomes can also be scale-like or glandular, not just hair-shaped
- setae
used mainly in zoology for bristle-like structures on animals; trichomes is the botanical term
用法筆記
In botany, trichomes include many forms — simple hairs, branched stars, and gland-tipped stalks that produce oils or toxins. Distinguish from sense 2, which refers to cell chains in microorganisms, not plant structures.
常見錯誤
2. a thread-like chain of cells in certain bacteria and algae, where the cells stay
a thread-like chain of cells in certain bacteria and algae, where the cells stay connected end to end after dividing, forming a visible strand under a microscope
Dr. Okafor watched the trichomes of the cyanobacteria lengthen under the warm lab light.
collocation: trichomes of [organism]
In the pond water sample, long trichomes of green algae twisted slowly through the liquid.
Under the lens, the students saw trichomes made of cells joined end to end.
Dr. Ndidi watched the trichome fragments drift apart under the microscope as the slide grew warm.
These bacterial trichomes measured about two hundred cells in length under the lens.
- filament
broader term used across biology for any thread-like structure; trichomes specifies a chain of cells
- cell chain
more descriptive but less precise; trichomes is the standard technical term in microbiology
用法筆記
This sense is used in microbiology for filamentous colonies. Distinguish from sense 1 (PLANT HAIRS), which describes epidermal outgrowths on plants, not connected cell chains in microbes.