ethephon

noun

eth·​e·​phon ˈe-thə-ˌfän How to pronounce ethephon (audio)
: a synthetic plant growth regulator C2H6ClO3P that induces flowering and abscission by promoting the release of ethylene and has been used to cause early ripening (as of apples on the tree)

Word History

Etymology

ethyl + phosphonic acid (a dibasic organic acid)

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ethephon was in 1971

Dictionary Entries Near ethephon

Cite this Entry

“Ethephon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethephon. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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