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medulla

 - 7 dictionary results

me⋅dul⋅la

  [muh-duhl-uh]
Use medulla in a Sentence
–noun, plural -dul⋅las, -dul⋅lae  [-duhl-ee] .
1. Anatomy.
a. the marrow of the bones.
b. the soft, marrowlike center of an organ, as the kidney or adrenal gland.
c. medulla oblongata.
2. Botany. the pith of plants.
Origin:
1635–45; < L: marrow, pith
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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me·dul·la   (mĭ-dŭl'ə)   
n.   pl. me·dul·las or me·dul·lae (-dŭl'ē)

  1. The inner core of certain organs or body structures, such as the marrow of bone.

  2. The medulla oblongata.

  3. See myelin.

  4. Botany

    1. The pith in the stems or roots of certain plants.

    2. The central portion of a thallus in certain lichens and red or brown algae.


[Middle English, from Latin, perhaps alteration (influenced by medius, middle; see medial) of *merulla.]
me·dul'lar, med'ul·lar'y (měd'l-ěr'ē, mə-dŭl'ə-rē) adj.
my·e·lin   (mī'ə-lĭn)   
n.  A white fatty material, composed chiefly of lipids and lipoproteins, that encloses certain axons and nerve fibers. Also called medulla.
my'e·lin'ic 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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Word Origin & History

medulla 
1651, "hindmost segment of the brain," from L., lit. "marrow," also "pith of plants," of unknown origin, perhaps related to or influenced by medius "middle" (but cf. also O.Ir. smiur, Welsh mer "marrow").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: me·dul·la
Pronunciation: m&-'d&l-&, -'dul-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural me·dul·las or me·dul·lae /-(")E, -"I/
1 plural medullae a : BONEMARROW b : MEDULLA OBLONGATA
2 a : the inner or deep part of an organor structure medulla> b : MYELIN SHEATH
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

medulla me·dul·la (mĭ-dŭl'ə)
n. pl. me·dul·las or me·dul·lae (-dŭl'ē)
The inner core of certain organs or body structures, such as the marrow of bone. Also called medullary substance.

me·dul'lar or med'ul·lar'y (měd'l-ěr'ē, mə-dŭl'ə-rē) 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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Science Dictionary
medulla   (mĭ-dŭl'ə, mĭ-d'lə)  Pronunciation Key 
Plural medullas or medullae (mĭ-dŭl'ē)

  1. See medulla oblongata.

  2. The central portion of an anatomical structure, such as the adrenal gland or the kidney.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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