halophytic
|ha-lo-phy-tic|
/ˌhæləˈfɪtɪk/
salt-tolerant (plants)
Etymology
'halophytic' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'halos' meaning 'salt' and 'phyton' meaning 'plant', via New Latin/modern formation 'halophyte' plus the adjective suffix '-ic'.
'halophytic' changed from New Latin/Modern English 'halophyte' (from Greek elements) with the addition of the adjective-forming suffix '-ic', and eventually became the modern English adjective 'halophytic'.
Initially, it meant 'pertaining to salt plants' or 'of salt-loving plants', and over time it has kept this specific botanical meaning of 'tolerant of saline conditions'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
growing in, or adapted to, salty or saline environments; of or relating to plants (halophytes) that tolerate high salt concentrations.
Many halophytic species thrive in coastal salt marshes and saline soils.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/22 16:13