Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Shed or falling off at an early stage of development: Describes a part of a plant or animal that is discarded or lost relatively early in its life cycle, often after serving a temporary function.
   • Not persistent; transitory: In a broader sense, it can describe something that is fleeting or short-lived.

Usage

The word caducous is a specialized term used primarily in botany and biology. It is a formal, technical adjective. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation but is essential for precise scientific description.

Examples

• In Botany:
  • The sepals of this flower are caducous, dropping off as soon as the bud opens.
  • Most amphibians have caducous gills, which are absorbed as they mature into adults.
• In General Use (rare):
  • He viewed happiness as a caducous state, never to be held for long.

Advanced Usage

• "Caducous leaves": Leaves that fall off very early, often soon after unfolding.
• "Caducous calyx": A calyx (the whorl of sepals) that falls off as the flower opens or soon after.

Variants and Related Words

• Deciduous (adj): This is a more common and broader term. While deciduous often refers to trees that lose their leaves seasonally (annually), caducous specifically implies falling off very early or prematurely. All caducous parts are deciduous in a sense, but not all deciduous parts are caducous.
• Fugacious (adj): Fleeting, lasting for a very short time. This is a closer synonym for the broader, non-biological sense of caducous.
• Caducity (n): The state or quality of being caducous; transitoriness, perishableness. (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Fugacious
• Ephemeral
• Transitory
• Evanescent
• Deciduous (in botanical contexts)

Antonyms

• Persistent
• Evergreen (in botanical contexts for leaves)
• Lasting
• Permanent

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning of caducous is tied to an early and natural shedding. It does not imply damage or disease but a programmed, developmental process. The provided reference "già cỗi, suy nhược" (senile, debilitated) is not accurate for standard English usage; caducous describes a normal biological process, not a state of decay.

Adjective

1. shed at an early stage of development
   • most amphibians have caducous gills
   • the caducous calyx of a poppy