Canescent
/kəˈnɛsənt/noun
Becoming gray or white, especially through age or the development of fine gray hairs.
Did you know?In botanical writing, canescent often describes leaves or stems covered with fine whitish hairs, making plants appear dusted with silver.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
canus
“Gray or white, especially gray-haired”
Classical Latin
Latin
canescere
“To become gray or white”
Classical Latin
Latin
canescens
“Becoming gray; the present participle of canescere”
17th Century
English
canescent
“Grayish or becoming gray, used in descriptive and botanical language”
Modern English
English
canescent
“Covered with fine gray or whitish hairs, or becoming gray with age”