taproot

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun (botany) main root of a plant growing straight downward from the stem
  2. noun something that provides an important central source for growth or development

Etymology

From tap + root. The oldest use (by Philemon Holland) is spaced as tap root. In the 18th and 19th centuries the standard spelling was tap-root.

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