etiolation
Pale, stretched seedlings
Etiolation is a botanical term for the pale, stretched, weakened growth that occurs when plants develop without adequate light.
The stems elongate abnormally while leaves remain small and yellowish-white, lacking chlorophyll: The seedlings showed severe etiolation after weeks in the dark closet.
Figuratively, etiolation describes any weakening or pallor from deprivation or sheltered conditions.
Made white by heat
- paleLacking color intensity
- elongationIncrease in length
- spindlyThin and fragile-looking
- shootsFires or photographs
stems · chlorophyll · seedlings · yellowing · whitening · leggy · stretched · weakened
Devoid of daylight's star
- darknessTotal absence of light
- deficiencyLack of something needed
- insufficiencyShortfall in amount needed
- lackDeficiency or absence
deprivation · undernourishment · starvation · want · scarcity · absence · depletion · withholding
Made less capable
- fragileEasily broken or damaged
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- frailWeak and breakable
- spindlyThin and fragile-looking
feeble · enervated · debilitated · attenuated · diminished · wasted · withered · shriveled
Unhealthily lacking color
- wanPale and unwell-looking
- ashenPale, grayish-white
- bleachedHad color removed
- colorlessDevoid of pigmentation
ghostly · sallow · waxen · bloodless · faded · whitish · translucent · anemic
Decrease or refuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- fadingGradual loss of intensity
- waningGradually decreasing in intensity
- witheringDrying and declining
languishing · stagnation · atrophy · decay · wilting · diminishment · wasting · intellectual
blanched
Made white by heat
- paleLacking color intensity
- elongationIncrease in length
- spindlyThin and fragile-looking
shoots · stems · chlorophyll · seedlings · yellowing · whitening · leggy · stretched · weakened · forced
sunless
Devoid of daylight's star
- darknessTotal absence of light
- deficiencyLack of something needed
- insufficiencyShortfall in amount needed
lack · deprivation · undernourishment · starvation · want · scarcity · absence · depletion · withholding · exclusion
weakened
Made less capable
spindly · feeble · enervated · debilitated · attenuated · diminished · wasted · withered · shriveled · stunted
pallid
Unhealthily lacking color
colorless · ghostly · sallow · waxen · bloodless · faded · whitish · translucent · anemic · drained
decline
Decrease or refuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- fadingGradual loss of intensity
- waningGradually decreasing in intensity
withering · languishing · stagnation · atrophy · decay · wilting · diminishment · wasting · intellectual · cultural
etiolationhardening off
Gradual outdoor exposure process
robustness · vigor · sturdiness · acclimation