Operculum
[oh-pur-kyuh-luh m] /oʊˈpɜr kyə ləm/
noun, plural opercula
[oh-pur-kyuh-luh] /oʊˈpɜr kyə lə/ (Show IPA), operculums.
1.
Botany, Zoology. a part or organ serving as a lid or cover, as a covering flap on a seed vessel.
2.
Zoology.
/əʊˈpɜːkjʊləm/
noun (pl) -la (-lə), -lums
1.
(zoology)
2.
(botany) the covering of the spore-bearing capsule of a moss
3.
(biology) any other covering or lid in various organisms
n.
1713, from Latin operculum “cover, lid,” from operire “to cover, close” (see weir), with instrumental suffix *-tlom. Related: Opercular.
operculum o·per·cu·lum (ō-pûr’kyə-ləm)
n. pl. o·per·cu·lums or o·per·cu·la (-lə)
o·per’cu·lar (-lər) adj.
operculum
(ō-pûr’kyə-ləm)
Plural opercula or operculums
A lid or flap covering an opening, such as the gill cover in some fish or the horny flap covering the opening of a snail.
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