Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
root hair ExamplesWord Origin noun
- an elongated tubular extension of an epidermal cell of a root, serving to absorb water and minerals from the soil.
Origin of root hair First recorded in 1855–60 Examples from the Web for root hair Historical Examples of root hair
The outside of the root-hair is bathed in solutions rich in nourishment.
Charles William Burkett
The nourishment passes from the outside to the inside through the delicate membrane of the root-hair.
Charles William Burkett
The extent of the root-hair region will vary according to the vigour and development of the roots and the nature of the soil.
A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses
Rai Bahadur K. Ranga Achariyar
British Dictionary definitions for root hair root hair noun
- any of the hollow hairlike outgrowths of the outer cells of a root, just behind the tip, that absorb water and salts from the soil
root hair in Science root hair
- A hairlike outgrowth of a plant root that absorbs water and minerals from the soil. Root hairs are tubular extensions of the epidermis that greatly increase the surface area of the root. They are constantly dying off and being replaced by new ones as the root grows and extends itself into the soil.