etiolation

E1T1I1O1L1A1T1I1O1N1
/ˌiːtiəˈleɪʃən/

noun

Growth process of plants grown in the absence of light, characterized by long, weak stems, fewer leaves and chlorosis.

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Meanings

nounetiolation (countable and uncountable, plural etiolations)

plural etiolations

  1. countableuncountablebiologyGrowth process of plants grown in the absence of light, characterized by long, weak stems, fewer leaves and chlorosis.
  2. countableuncountablebiologyBlanching of plants, accomplished by excluding the light of the sun; the condition of a blanched plant.
  3. countableuncountablePaleness produced by absence of light, or by disease.

Origin

From French étiolé, past participle of étioler (“to blanch”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Vergeilung, Etiolement
  • Vergeilunggrowth process of plants grown in the absence of light
  • Etiolementgrowth process of plants grown in the absence of light
Irish eitialacht
  • eitialachtgrowth process of plants grown in the absence of light
Italian eziolamento
  • eziolamentogrowth process of plants grown in the absence of light
Polish etiolacja, wypłonienie
  • etiolacjagrowth process of plants grown in the absence of light
  • wypłonieniegrowth process of plants grown in the absence of light
Cite this entry
APA

etiolation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/etiolation

MLA

“etiolation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/etiolation. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “etiolation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/etiolation.

Source: etiolation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.