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columella

 - 4 dictionary results

col⋅u⋅mel⋅la

[kol-yuh-mel-uh]
–noun, plural -mel⋅lae [-mel-ee] . Biology.
1.
a. any of various small, columnlike structures of animals or plants; rod or axis.
b. Mycology. a small central column of sterile tissue within the sporangium of certain fungi, liverworts, and mosses.
2. a small bone in the ear of amphibians, reptiles, and birds.

Origin:
1575–85; < L: small column, equiv. to colum- (var. of column-, s. of columna column ) + -ella -elle


col⋅u⋅mel⋅lar, adjective
col⋅u⋅mel⋅late [kol-yuh-mel-it, -eyt] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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col·u·mel·la   (kŏl'yə-měl'ə, kŏl'ə-)   
n.   pl. col·u·mel·lae (-měl'ē)
Any small columnlike structure in various plants and animals, often forming the central axis of development for the organism or an anatomical structure.

[Latin, diminutive of columna, column; see column.]
col'u·mel'lar (-měl'ər) adj., col'u·mel'late' (-měl'āt') adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: col·u·mel·la
Pronunciation: "käl-(y)&-'mel-&
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural col·u·mel·lae /-'mel-(")E also -"I/
1 : any of various anatomical parts likened to a column: a : the bony centralaxis of the cochlea b : the lower part of the nasal septum
2 : the central sterile portion of the sporangium in various fungi (Mucor and related genera) —col·u·mel·lar /-&r/ adjectivecol·u·mel·late /-"At, -&t/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

columella col·u·mel·la (kŏl'yə-měl'ə, kŏl'ə-) or col·um·nel·la (kŏl'əm-něl'ə)
n. pl. col·u·mel·lae (-měl'ē) or col·um·nel·lae (-něl'ē)
A column-shaped anatomical structure.


col'u·mel'lar (-měl'ər) adj.
col'u·mel'late' (-měl'āt') adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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