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papilla Definition

pa·pilla (pə pil′ə)

noun pl. -·lae-ē

    1. any small nipplelike projection or process of connective tissue, as the small elevations at the root of a developing tooth, hair, feather, etc. or the many and variously shaped elevations on the surface of the tongue
    2. Rare the nipple of the breast
  2. Bot. a tiny, protruding cell

Etymology: L, dim. of papula, pimple: see papule

papilla Related Forms

pap′·il·late′ (pap′ə lāt′; pə pil′it, -āt′) adjective or pap′·il·lose′pap′ə lōs′

papilla Usage Examples

Converse of object

call: Small bumps called papillae normally cover the tongue's upper surface.

Adjective modifier

  • fungiform: The blue food coloring stains the normal skin on your tongue, but doesn't stain the fungiform papillae, so they stand out.
  • dermal: The dermal papilla is feed by the bloodstream which carries nourishment to produce new hair.
  • duodenal: AB - BACKGROUND: An adenoma-carcinoma sequence also applies to adenomas of the major duodenal papilla.
  • major: AB - BACKGROUND: An adenoma-carcinoma sequence also applies to adenomas of the major duodenal papilla.
  • filiform: Can you identify the fungiform and filiform papillae, glands, and skeletal muscle.
  • interdental: It is important to scallop between the teeth to preserve the interdental papilla.

Preposition: on

  • stigma: The papillae on the long-styled stigma are longer than those on the short-styled, in the ratio of 100 to 40.
  • tongue: These occur on the soft palate and epiglottis as well as in papillae on the tongue.