determinate
adjective
de·ter·mi·nate
| \ di-ˈtər-mə-nət
\
\
Definition of determinate
1
: having defined limits
a determinate period of time
2
: definitely settled
a determinate order of precedence
3
: conclusively determined : definitive
a determinate answer
4
botany
: characterized by sequential flowering from the central or uppermost bud to the lateral or basal (see basal sense 1b) buds
also
: characterized by growth in which the main stem ends in an inflorescence and stops growing with only branches from the main stem having further and similarly restricted growth
determinate tomato plants
— compare indeterminate sense 4
5
biology
: relating to, being, or undergoing egg cleavage (see cleavage sense 3) in which each division irreversibly separates portions of the zygote with specific potencies for further development