Table 1.

Glossary of the terms for cell wall mechanics often used in the context of plant morphogenesis.

Cell wall mechanical properties	Physical properties of the cell wall that determine its behavior upon exposure to deforming forces resulting from pressure, tension, or compression
Yielding	Material deforming when the applied force exceeds well-defined threshold
Turgor pressure	A hydrostatic pressure generated by the water pushing the plasma membrane and plant cell wall
Wall extensibility	Property of the cell wall to be deformed irreversibly under a deforming load, for example, that caused by turgor
Stiffening	Enhancing the mechanical strength of the cell wall, resulting from the modification of the biochemical configuration
Softening	Weakening the mechanical strength of the cell wall, resulting from the modification of the biochemical configuration
Plasticity	The quality or state of being plastic, especially capacity for being deformed or altered. With plastic deformation, materials do not return to their original shape after the pressure on them being removed
Cell wall rigidity	The apparent rigidity of the cell wall results from turgor pressure while cell wall polymers and bonds density increase is internal cause
Loosening	Rearrangement of the cell wall polymers facilitating the load-induced extension of the cell wall material
Creep	Slow, time-dependent, and irreversible extension of the cell wall
Wall rheology	The study of the flow and deformation of walls in response to an applied force