aculeus

[ uh-kyoo-lee-uhs ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural a·cu·le·i [uh, -, kyoo, -lee-ahy].

aculeus

/ əˈkjuːlɪəs /

Origin of aculeus¹

1820–30; < Latin: sting, barb, equivalent to acu ( s ) needle + -leus noun suffix

Origin of aculeus¹

C19: from Latin, diminutive of acus needle

The pastinaca oxyrinchus with a long and strong aculeus in the tayle conceued of speciall venome and virtues.

Lister refers to a specimen in 1686 as "Piscis triangularis capiti cornutu cui e media cauda cutanea aculeus longus erigitus."

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse