rhizome
2 synonyms for rhizome, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A plant stem that grows sideways underground and puts out roots and new shoots along its length.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
rootstalk
rootstock
How to use rhizome
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
underground rhizome
ginger rhizome
rhizomatic thinking
The botanical sense is everyday gardening vocabulary, while the philosophical sense is academic.
Etymology
The word was borrowed from Ancient Greek rhízōma. In twentieth-century philosophy, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari took up the term as a metaphor for non-hierarchical thought.
Full origin of rhizome →Frequently asked questions
What is a rhizome in plants?
It is an underground stem that grows horizontally and sends out roots and shoots from points along its length, letting the plant spread.
Is ginger a rhizome?
Yes, the part of the ginger plant that is eaten is its rhizome.
What does rhizome mean in philosophy?
It describes a model of thought as an interconnected network without a single root or centre, an idea associated with Deleuze and Guattari.
