auxohormone
|aux-o-hor-mone|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːksoʊˈhɔrmoʊn/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːksəʊˈhɔːməʊn/
growth-promoting substance
Etymology
'auxohormone' originates from Greek combining form 'auxo-' and the Modern English word 'hormone'; 'auxo-' derived from Greek 'auxein' meaning 'to increase, to grow', and 'hormone' from Greek 'hormaein' meaning 'to set in motion'.
'auxohormone' was coined in biological literature (20th century) by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'auxo-' with 'hormone' to denote substances that stimulate growth; the compound formation followed scientific naming patterns (prefix + hormone).
Initially it referred broadly to any substance that promoted growth; over time its use narrowed in some contexts to mean specific growth factors required by microbes or particular plant growth-promoting hormones.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance that promotes or stimulates growth or development, especially in plants or biological tissues (a growth-promoting hormone or factor).
Researchers identified an auxohormone that accelerates root elongation in seedlings.
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Noun 2
a specific nutrient or compound required by certain microorganisms as a growth factor (an essential external substance for growth).
Some bacterial strains will not grow in minimal media unless the required auxohormone is supplied.
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Last updated: 2025/11/30 07:41