# rhizome

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹaɪzoʊm/ · frequency rank #59,676

## Definitions
1. A horizontal, underground stem of some plants that sends out roots and shoots (scions) from its nodes.
2. A so-called “image of thought” that apprehends multiplicities.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ῥίζωμα (rhízōma). As philosophical metaphor, used by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rhizome