alveoli

Variant of alveolus

noun pl. alveoli

  1. Anat., Zool. a small cavity or hollow, as a cell of a honeycomb, air cell of a lung, tooth socket, etc.
  2. the alveolar ridge; teethridge

Origin: L, dim. of alveus, a hollow, cavity < alvus, the belly, womb < IE base *au-lo-s > Gr aulos, flute, Lith aulỹs, beehive

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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