alveolus

(al vēə ləs)

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

See alveolus in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. al·ve·o·li (-līˌ)
  1. A small angular cavity or pit, such as a honeycomb cell.
  2. A tooth socket in the jawbone.
  3. A tiny, thin-walled, capillary-rich sac in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. Also called air sac.

Origin:

Origin: Latin, small hollow

Origin: , diminutive of alveus, a hollow

Origin: , from alvus, belly

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