Xerophyte
/ˈzɪə.rə.faɪt/noun
A plant adapted to survive in very dry conditions.
Did you know?The word was coined in modern scientific Greek from roots meaning “dry” and “plant,” and it helped botanists name the harsh, almost spell-like adaptations that let cacti and other desert plants endure.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ters-
“to dry up, become parched”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ξηρός (xēros)
“dry, parched”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φυτόν (phytón)
“a plant, something that grows”
19th Century
Scientific Greek
xerophyt-
“dry-plant, a plant adapted to arid conditions”
Late 19th Century
English
xerophyte
“a plant adapted to dry habitats”