furcula

[ fur-kyuh-luh ]

noun,plural fur·cu·lae [fur-kyuh-lee]. /ˈfɜr kyəˌli/.
  1. the forked clavicular bone of a bird; wishbone.

  2. the ventral, forked appendage on the abdomen of a springtail that the insect uses in springing itself into the air.

Origin of furcula

1
1855–60; <Latin: a forked prop. See fork, -ule

Other words from furcula

  • fur·cu·lar, adjective

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How to use furcula in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for furcula

furcula

furculum (ˈfɜːkjʊləm)

/ (ˈfɜːkjʊlə) /


nounplural -lae (-ˌliː) or -la (-lə)
  1. any forklike part or organ, esp the fused clavicles (wishbone) of birds

Origin of furcula

1
C19: from Latin: a forked support for a wall, diminutive of furca fork

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012