Definition: Spontaneous opening of a seed pod or organ to expel its contents; an unexpected opening of anything, such as that of a surgical wound.

Usage: Today's noun comes from the verb "dehisce" and is accompanied by an adjective, "dehiscent." A dehiscent seed pod either opens to disperse its seeds, is in the process of opening to disperse its seeds or already has opened. A dehiscent surgical wound is one that has opened because of faulty suturing.

Suggested Usage: The image of seeds spilling from pods opens a wide door to metaphorical experimentation: "Jim Dandy's dehiscence of our plans to launch a new product cost the company its lead in production." Would it stretch today's word to suggest it as an antonym of "reticence" and speak of the dehiscence of a criminal suspect, "We'll put you in protective custody if you will dehisce what you know about the bank robbery." I, for one, would like to hear the police expand their lexical horizons in such directions. "Spill the beans" has been around too long and "spill your guts" is—ugh!

Etymology: Today's word comes from Latin dehiscere : de- "away (from)" + hiscere "to split open," the inchoative form of hiare "to gape open, yawn." (Inchoative verbal forms have the built-in meaning "to begin" or "to become" plus the regular meaning of the verb.) The past participle of this verb, "hiatus" is used in English meaning "a blank space or interruption." Greek chaskein "to gape open, yawn" shares the same origin and its noun, chasma "opening," is the source of English chasm "a yawning opening."