patellae

Variant of patella

patella definition

pa·tella (pə tel′ə)

noun pl. patellas -·las or patellae -·lae (-ē)

  1. a small, shallow pan used in ancient Rome
  2. a movable bone at the front of the human knee
  3. Biol. any panlike formation

Etymology: L, dim. of patina, a pan < Gr patanē < *petana < IE base *pet-, to spread out > fathom, L patere

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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