rhizome
UK[ˈraɪ.zəʊm]US[ˈraɪ.zoʊm]
n
a thick underground plant stem that grows horizontally and produces roots and shoots.
Morpheme Breakdown
rhiz
ome
rhiz
root
ome
mass, body
Etymology
the word rhizome entered english in the 19th century via modern latin 'rhizoma', which was borrowed directly from the greek 'rhízōma', meaning 'mass of roots'. the greek term itself is built from 'rhiza' (root) and the noun-forming suffix '-ōma'. this literal construction perfectly captures the botanical reality: a rhizome is a horizontal, root-like stem that functions as a mass from which new roots and shoots emerge. while the greek root is ancient, the specific botanical term and its later metaphorical use in philosophy by gilles deleuze are modern, specialized applications of this classical descriptive compound.
Analysis
Structure: rhiz (root) + ome (mass, body)
rhiz is from greek 'rhiza', meaning 'root'. ome is a variant of the greek suffix '-oma', indicating a mass, growth, or result.
Examples
ginger and bamboo spread aggressively through their underground rhizomes.
the gardener divided the iris rhizomes to propagate new plants.
in his philosophical work, deleuze used the rhizome as a model for non-hierarchical thought.