I learned a new word today!

@Fleura (36186)
United Kingdom
July 27, 2026 12:16pm CST
Inosculation. Have you ever heard this word before? I admit I hadn’t. It is the word for the natural phenomenon wherein the branches, trunks, or roots of two trees (of the same or different species) grow and merge together in a sort of natural graft, and it is derived from the Latin word for kiss. So maybe at bed time your partner will give you a little goodnight inosculation All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2026.
13 people like this
13 responses
@Traceyjayne (13810)
• United Kingdom
27 Jul
I have never heard that word before ….. Your challenge now …..should you wish to accept it ….is to use that word in a sentence tomorrow….
1 person likes this
@Fleura (36186)
• United Kingdom
28 Jul
Well the reason it came up was that I was on a guided walk with a conservation/wildlife group locally, and as we walked down a track they were talking about how that particular track had no name, and we didn't really want to call it after the nearby house; then we paused to look at an ancient field maple that clearly showed signs of having once been part of a hedgerow, and one man who is a bit of a tree expert explained that that particular phenomenon of trunks growing together is called inosculation. So we promptly decided the track should be called 'Inosculation way'. And so as not to forget the word we were all practising using it in sentences
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@Fleura (36186)
• United Kingdom
28 Jul
@Traceyjayne Ask the Mister for a bit of goodnight inosculation at bedtime tonight
@Traceyjayne (13810)
• United Kingdom
28 Jul
@Fleura ……lol …. That’s why I set the challenge ….i just knew it was the sort of thing you would do.
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@Jehanne (2476)
• Philippines
29 Jul
With all seriousness, I heard of that with my brothers the natural graft or self grafting but not that term Inosculation.
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@Fleura (36186)
• United Kingdom
29 Jul
Now you can impress your brothers
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@Jehanne (2476)
• Philippines
29 Jul
@Fleura you got me! Really, I've got something up my sleeves.
1 person likes this
• China
28 Jul
It is a rarely used word,sometimes used in medicine,for example ,blood vessel inosculation.
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@Fleura (36186)
• United Kingdom
28 Jul
I didn't know that, thank you!
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@JESSY3236 (22701)
• United States
28 Jul
I never heard of that term either.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (21669)
• London, England
29 Jul
Looks like there is a word for everything!
1 person likes this
27 Jul
Pear trees and apple trees do this quite often The result is papples
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@Fleura (36186)
• United Kingdom
27 Jul
Imagine if apples merged with nipa palm!
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27 Jul
@Fleura You would have nipples In the palm of your hands.
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@kareng (83691)
• United States
27 Jul
I have never heard that word before either!! Thanks for educating us today!
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (127050)
• United States
27 Jul
That’s definitely one I had not heard.
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@kaylachan (86584)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Jul
No I haven't but that is interesting.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (140487)
• Marion, Ohio
27 Jul
Never heard that one
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (100890)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Jul
Learned something new. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this
• Israel
27 Jul
One way to become more intelligent is to learn two new words everyday. So I got one down. One more to go!
1 person likes this
@Wrexxo (7338)
27 Jul
Nah .never heard it before
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