Tapering gradually to a sharp point; having a pointed tip, especially used to describe leaf shapes.
From Latin 'acuminatus,' the past participle of 'acuminare,' meaning to sharpen. This comes from 'acumen' (sharpness of mind/blade). In botany, the term was adopted to describe leaves that taper to a fine point. The suffix '-ate' indicates having the quality described by the root word.
Leaf shape is so important that botanists have dozens of words for it, and 'acuminate' specifically means pointed like a needle—if you look at a tropical plant with long, dripping leaves, chances are a botanist would describe them as acuminate. It's nature's way of helping water drip off quickly.
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