imbibition The adsorption of liquid, usually water, into the ultramicroscopic spaces or pores found in materials such as cellulose, pectin, and cytoplasmic (see CYTOPLASM) proteins in seeds.

imbibition The uptake of water by substances that do not dissolve in water, so that the process results in swelling of the substance. Imbibition is a property of many biological substances, including cellulose (and other constituents of plant cell walls), starch, and some proteins. It occurs in dry seeds before they germinate and – together with osmosis – is responsible for the uptake of water by growing plant cells.

imbibition The adsorption of liquid, usually water, into the ultramicroscopic spaces or pores found in materials such as cellulose, pectin, and cytoplasmic proteins in seeds.