Abscission
/əbˈsɪʒən/
nounC2
Definition
Abscission means the natural cutting off or falling away of a part of a plant, such as a leaf or fruit. This process helps plants get rid of things they no longer need or that might harm them. It is a natural, controlled separation.
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See It in Action
Biological process where plants shed parts like leaves or fruit
- •The abscission of leaves happens in autumn to save energy during winter.
- •Fruit abscission allows the plant to drop ripe fruit naturally.
- •Scientists study abscission to understand how plants grow and survive.
(Less common) The act of cutting off or removal in other biological contexts
- •Some animals have abscission-like processes to remove body parts for protection.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "abscission" like "falling" (A1 word), but planned and controlled by the plant itself, not by accident.
- ✓Picture a tree in autumn dropping its leaves one by one in a quiet, gentle way.
- ✓It's the feeling of letting go of something old to prepare for something new, like cleaning your room by removing old things.
- ✓Sounds like "ab-SIZH-un" → imagine scissors (cutting tool) gently cutting a leaf from a branch.
- ✓In stories, think of trees shedding leaves to survive winter and grow fresh leaves in spring.
- ✓NOT like "break" (sudden and uncontrolled), abscission is a slow, natural process controlled by the plant.
- ✓NOT like "cut" (done by outside force), abscission is done by the plant itself from inside.
- ✓NOT like "fall" (random drop), abscission is a planned and healthy separation.
Try Other Words
- •Shedding: losing or dropping parts naturally (Use when talking about leaves or skin falling off naturally)
- •Dropping: letting go and falling down (Use for less formal or general contexts)
- •Separation: the act of dividing or cutting apart (Use in scientific or formal contexts)
- •Detachment: the process of becoming separate (Use when focusing on the part becoming separate)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "ab-" (away) + root "sciss" (cut) + suffix "-ion" (action or process)
- •Etymology: From Latin "abscissio," meaning "a cutting off"
- •Historical development: Used in biology since the 19th century to describe natural plant processes of dropping parts
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in botany and plant sciences to describe leaf, fruit, or flower dropping
Reflect & Connect
•How do you think abscission helps plants survive in different seasons?
•Can you think of any examples where humans use a similar process of controlled removal in their daily life?
Fill in the blanks
1.Trees use abscission to ___ old leaves during autumn so they don't waste energy in winter.
2.Abscission is different from falling because it is a ___ process controlled by the plant.
3.When fruit is ripe, abscission allows it to ___ naturally without damage.
4.Unlike a sudden break, abscission happens ___ over time as part of plant growth.
5.Scientists study abscission to learn how plants ___ parts that are no longer useful.
6.The process of abscission involves the plant cutting ___ the connection between the leaf and branch.
7.Abscission often happens ___ after the plant has prepared the part to fall safely.