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View synonyms for stoma
stoma
[ stoh-muh ]
noun
, plural sto·ma·ta [stoh, -m, uh, -t, uh, stom, -, uh, -, stoh-, mah, -t, uh], sto·mas.
- Zoology. a mouth or ingestive opening, especially when in the form of a small or simple aperture.
- Medicine/Medical. an artificial opening between two hollow organs or between one hollow organ and the outside of the body, constructed to permit the passage of body fluids or waste products.
stoma
/ ˈstəʊmə /
stoma
/ stō′mə /
, Plural stomata stō′mə-tə
- Botany.One of the tiny openings in the epidermis of a plant, through which gases and water vapor pass. Stomata permit the absorption of carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis from the air, as well as the removal of excess oxygen. Stomata occur on all living plant parts that have contact with the air; they are especially abundant on leaves. A single leaf may have many thousands of stomata. Each stoma is generally between 10 to 30 microns in length and is surrounded by a pair of crescent-shaped cells, called guard cells. The guard cells can change shape and close the stoma in order to prevent the loss of water vapor.
- Botany.See Note at transpiration
- Zoology.A mouthlike opening, such as the oral cavity of a nematode.
- Medicine.A temporary or permanent opening in a body surface, especially the abdomen or throat, that is created by a surgical procedure, such as a colostomy or tracheostomy.
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Other Words From
- stomal adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of stoma1
First recorded in 1675–85; from New Latin, from Greek stóma “mouth”
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Word History and Origins
Origin of stoma1
C17: via New Latin from Greek: mouth
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Example Sentences
Poson oun estin, ho alloioi, kai d theasmetha; pleon men kata to stoma, meion d' kata to Pg 252Greek text hpar te kai tas phlebas.
From Project Gutenberg
By change in shape of these cells the opening of the stoma is made larger or smaller.
From Project Gutenberg
Stomate (Latin Stoma, plural Stomata), the breathing-pores of leaves, 144.
From Project Gutenberg
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