Turgor

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The internal fluid pressure in cells or plants that supports their shape and firmness is crucial for structural integrity and growth
2. This pressure from fluid within cells or plant structures is key to maintaining rigidity and proper function during growth
3. The pressure exerted by fluids inside cells or plants is essential for maintaining their shape, structural support, and overall health during development

Etymology: Turgor comes from Latin "turgor," a noun meaning "swelling" or "distension," formed from the verb "turgēre," "to be swollen." The Latin suffix "-or" turns the verb into an abstract noun, so the word literally names the state of being swollen. English borrowed it as a learned term, which is why it looks so plainly Latinate: it entered the language through scholarly writing rather than everyday speech. Its modern sense narrows that old meaning considerably. Biologists and physicians use it for the firmness a tissue or cell has when its internal fluid presses outward against the cell wall or surrounding structure. Pinch the skin on the back of a hand and let go, and the slow return to flat shows the turgor of the tissue beneath. The same pressure keeps plant stems upright and leaves crisp, so a wilting plant has lost turgor.

Synonyms: swelling, pressure, distension, firmness, stiffness

Antonyms: deflation, collapse, shrinkage, softness, weakness