Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - apoptosis

 noun  (plural apoptoses)  Etymology: New Latin, from Greek apoptosis a falling off, from apopiptein to fall off, from apo- + piptein to fall — more at feather  Date: 1972 a genetically directed process of cell self-destruction that is marked by the fragmentation of nuclear DNA, is activated either by the presence of a stimulus or removal of a suppressing agent or stimulus, and is a normal physiological process eliminating DNA-damaged, superfluous, or unwanted cells — called also programmed cell death  • apoptotic adjective