Cutinise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To make plant cell walls waxy by saturating them with cutin, the waterproof substance that forms the outer protective layer
2. To treat plant tissue so that it becomes impregnated with cutin, a fatty polymer that makes the surface water resistant
3. To cause a plant surface to take on a protective cutin layer, thickening it against water loss and damage

Etymology: "Cutinise" is a straightforward formation: it combines "cutin", a waxy, water-repellent substance found in the outer skin of plants, with the verb-forming suffix "-ise". The result means to coat a surface so that it resists water, much as plant leaves and stems are protected by their natural cutin layer. The key to the word is the substance it names. Cutin is a polyester-like material that forms the cuticle, the thin protective film on the surfaces of leaves, fruit and stems, which keeps moisture in and pathogens out. Chemists gave the name to this biological material, so the verb carries the idea of imitating that natural waterproofing on a manufactured surface.