climacteric
cli·mac·ter·ic / klīˈmaktərik; ˌklīmakˈterik/ • n. a critical period or event: the first major climacteric in twentieth-century poetry. ∎ Med. the period of life when fertility and sexual activity are in decline; (in women) menopause. ∎ Bot. the ripening period of certain fruits such as apples, involving increased metabolism and only possible while on the tree.• adj. having extreme and far-reaching implications or results; critical. ∎ Med. occurring at, characteristic of, or undergoing the climacteric; (in women) menopausal. ∎ Bot. (of a fruit) undergoing a climacteric.
climacteric
climacteric
1. Post‐harvesting increase in metabolic rate and production of carbon dioxide and ethylene associated with ripening in some (but not all) fruits.
2. Clinically, the menopause in women, or declining sexual drive and fertility in men after middle age.
1. Post‐harvesting increase in metabolic rate and production of carbon dioxide and ethylene associated with ripening in some (but not all) fruits.
2. Clinically, the menopause in women, or declining sexual drive and fertility in men after middle age.
climacteric
climacteric pert. to a critical period (in human life); also sb. XVI (formerly often climateric). — F. climatérique or L. clīmactēricus — Gr. klīmaktērikós, f. klîmax, klīmak- ladder + -tēr agent-suffix.
Also climacterical XVI.
Also climacterical XVI.
climacteric
climacteric In plants, the phase of increased respiration found at the ripening of fruit and at senescence.
climacteric
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