arborescent

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɑɹbəˈɹɛsənt/ UK /ɑːbəˈresənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #302445

Meanings

1

adj
resembling a tree in form, growth, or branching structure

An arborescent fern rose above the smaller plants on a slender trunk.
2

adj
organized as a hierarchical branching structure rather than as a network

The theorist contrasted an arborescent model of knowledge with a decentralized web of relations.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · resembling a tree in form,... tree-likebranchingdendritic

2 adj · organized as a hierarchical... hierarchicaltree-structured

Opposites

rhizomaticnonbranching

Word family

Derived forms arborescencearborescentlysemiarborescentsubarborescent

Related forms arboreal arbordendritic

Etymology

From Latin arborescens, the present participle of arborescere, to become a tree, from arbor, tree. The philosophical sense applies the image of a branching genealogical tree to centralized, hierarchical systems of thought.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# arborescent

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɑɹbəˈɹɛsənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɑːbəˈresənt/
**Frequency rank:** 302445

## Meanings
1. resembling a tree in form, growth, or branching structure
2. organized as a hierarchical branching structure rather than as a network

## Examples
- An arborescent fern rose above the smaller plants on a slender trunk.
- The theorist contrasted an arborescent model of knowledge with a decentralized web of relations.

## Synonyms
- tree-like
- branching
- dendritic
- tree-structured

## Antonyms
- rhizomatic
- nonbranching

## Derived Forms
- arborescence
- arborescently
- semiarborescent
- subarborescent

## Related Forms
- arboreal
- arbor
- dendritic

## Etymology
From Latin arborescens, the present participle of arborescere, to become a tree, from arbor, tree. The philosophical sense applies the image of a branching genealogical tree to centralized, hierarchical systems of thought.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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