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sensitive plant
noun
: any of several mimosas (especially Mimosa pudica) with leaves that fold or droop when touched
broadly
: a plant responding to touch with movement
Examples of sensitive plant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The National Weather Service recommends: Bringing sensitive plants indoors.
—Staff Reports, The Arizona Republic, 6 Apr. 2024
Cover sensitive plants before sunset; that helps capture any ground heat and keeps it close to the plants.
—Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
Melton plays Joe like a sensitive plant whose leaves fold inward when touched by enemies.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2023
When forecasters predicted that oppressive heat would settle over much of the South for days this month, one of the first thoughts for staff members at the Mobile Botanical Gardens was how to protect their most sensitive plants.
—Judson Jones, New York Times, 30 June 2023
This is a great trick for especially sensitive plants that need a bit of extra care during the worst of heat waves.
—Abby Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2023
Before selecting and applying a herbicide, check its label thoroughly to see if there are cautions about sensitive plants and a tendency to drift (move away from the application site).
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 19 June 2023
However, for particularly sensitive plants or during periods of unusually intense heat, using temporary covers can offer some protection.
—Tiffany Acosta
arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 27 July 2023
Residents in those areas may want to cover sensitive plants.
—oregonlive, 14 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sensitive plant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1640, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near sensitive plant
Cite this Entry
“Sensitive plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensitive%20plant. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
sensitive plant
noun
: any of several mimosas with leaves that fold or droop when touched
More from Merriam-Webster on sensitive plant
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sensitive plant
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