glossa

¹

[ glos-uh, glaw-suh ]

noun

, plural glos·sae [glos, -ee, glaw, -see], glos·sas.

1. Anatomy. the tongue.
2. Entomology. one of a pair of median, sometimes fused lobes of the labium of an insect.

Glossa

²

[ glaw-suh ]

noun

1. Cape, a promontory in SW Albania.

glossa

/ ˈɡlɒsə /

noun

1. See tongue
   anatomy a technical word for the tongue
2. a paired tonguelike lobe in the labium of an insect

Derived Forms

• ˈglossal, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of glossa¹

First recorded in 1885–90, glossa is from the Greek word glôssa tongue

Example Sentences

On these place a new pot, pour into it some fornis mentioned above, called by the Romans glossa, otherwise gum arabic.

From Project Gutenberg

Late in life he retired to his villa, and there in quiet worked on his great Glossa till he died.

From Project Gutenberg

The Glossa Ordinaria, as it is called, is the best known of these commentaries.

From Project Gutenberg

Lingua spiralis: the spiral tongue of Lepidoptera: see glossa.

From Project Gutenberg

Dondeus says this interpretation is clearly proved by the authority of a glossa in the chapter: Ex litterarum.

From Project Gutenberg