ocellus

(ō seləs)

noun pl. ocelli

  1. the simple eyespot of certain invertebrates, as distinguished from the compound eye of an insect or the camera-type eye of vertebrates and cephalopods
  2. an eyelike spot, as on a peacock's feathers

Origin: L, dim. of oculus, eye

Related Forms:

See ocellus in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. o·cel·li (ō-sĕlˈīˌ)
  1. A small simple eye, found in many invertebrates, usually consisting of a few sensory cells and a single lens.
  2. A marking that resembles an eye, as on the tail feathers of a male peacock; an eyespot.

Origin:

Origin: Latin

Origin: , diminutive of oculus, eye; see okw- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • o·celˈlar (ō-sĕlˈər) adjective

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