operculum
operculum
Definition
oper·cu·lum (ō pʉr′kyo̵̅o̅ ləm, -kyə-)
noun pl. -·la--lə or -·lums
any of various covering flaps or lidlike structures in plants and animals; specif.,
- the bony covering protecting the gills of fishes: see fish,
- in many gastropods, the horny plate serving to close the shell when the animal is retracted
- the lid of spore cases in mosses
- the lid of a pitcher-shaped leaf
Etymology: ModL < L, lid, dim. < operire, to close, shut: for IE bases see ob- & aperture
operculum
Usage Examples
Adjective modifier
- sp.: One specimen was a Turbo sp. shell; the other six were Turbo sp. opercula.
Noun used with modifier
- sp.: Microscopic thin-section examination of the Turbo sp. opercula from spit 40 revealed significant differences between specimens.
Browse dictionary entries near operculum
- operculate
- opercular
- operator
- operative
- operations support system
- operations research
- operations and maintenance
- operations, administration, management, and provisioning
- operationalize
- operationalism
- operetta
- operon
- operose
- Ophelia
- ophicleide
- ophidian
- ophiolatry
- ophiolite
- ophiology
- Ophir
