photoprotection en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos Ancient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos) Ancient Greek φῶς (phôs) Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der. English photo- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Italic *pro- Latin pro- Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg-der. Proto-Italic *tegō Latin tegō Latin prōtegō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Late Latin prōtēctiōder. Old Frenchbor. Middle English English protection English photoprotection From photo- + protection.
Meanings
- (uncountable) The function, in plants that are adapted to high levels of sunlight, that protects the centres of photosynthesis from damage by excess light, normally by the use of carotenoid pigments