reticular
Americanadjective
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having the form of a net; netlike.
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intricate or entangled.
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Anatomy. of or relating to a reticulum.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of reticular
1590–1600; < New Latin rēticulāris, equivalent to Latin rēticul ( um ) reticle + -āris -ar 1
Explanation
Anything reticular is like a net. A spider web is reticular. Nets are interwoven with holes: they're used to catch fish and other things. Anything that resembles a net — or a network — can be called reticular. Many hammocks are reticular, and so is the knitting of many quilts and blankets. This word is often used in biology for parts of organisms that are net-like. Parts of our nervous system are often described as reticular, because the nerves resemble a net and also form a network.
Vocabulary lists containing reticular
List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Reticular fibers are the third type of protein fiber found in connective tissues.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
Reticular cells produce the reticular fibers that form the network onto which other cells attach.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Figure 4.14 Reticular Tissue This is a loose connective tissue made up of a network of reticular fibers that provides a supportive framework for soft organs.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Reticular fiber is also formed from the same protein subunits as collagen fibers; however, these fibers remain narrow and are arrayed in a branching network.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Reticular formation As the brain's sentry, this structure receives incoming stimuli and puts the brain on alert, ready to respond.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
