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cam·bi·um

(kămbē-əm)

n. pl. cam·bi·umsor cam·bi·a (kămbē-ə)

A tissue in the stems and roots of many seed-bearing plants that consists of cells that divide to form new layers of tissue toward the inside and toward the outside of the plant. The cambium is most active in woody plants, where it lies between the bark and wood of the stem.

[Medieval Latin, exchange, from Late Latin cambīre, cambiāre, to exchange, of Celtic origin.]

cambi·al adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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