Wilting

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The gradual loss of rigidity in a plant caused by inadequate water supply leads to drooping foliage and weakened structural integrity
2. A process where plants lose their stiffness and freshness because they have insufficient moisture
3. The condition of plants becoming slack and limp as a result of dehydration

Etymology: "Wilting" is the present participle of "wilt," so it is the form of "wilt" used for the action in progress. The verb "wilt" is the more interesting part. It appears to be a variant of "wilk," an older English verb meaning to wither or lose freshness, and the two forms have long existed side by side in English. The -t ending on "wilt" is the element that gives the word its sharper sound, which is why "wilt" and "wilk" feel so close yet differ in spelling. The source does not give a firm date for when "wilting" first appeared, so the word's exact entry into English remains unrecorded in what I can confirm.

Synonyms: fading, drooping, withering

Antonyms: flourishing, thriving