seta

[ see-tuh ]
See synonyms for: setasetal on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural se·tae [see-tee]. /ˈsi ti/. Biology.
  1. a stiff hair; bristle or bristlelike part.

Origin of seta

1
First recorded in 1785–95, seta is from the Latin word sēta, saeta “bristle”

Other words from seta

  • setal, adjective

Words Nearby seta

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use seta in a sentence

  • One or more pairs of well developed anterior inner dorsocentral (acrostichal) macrocht; seta on extensor surface of hind tibia.

    Handbook of Medical Entomology | William Albert Riley

British Dictionary definitions for seta

seta

/ (ˈsiːtə) /


nounplural -tae (-tiː)
  1. (in invertebrates and some plants) any bristle or bristle-like appendage

  2. (in mosses) the stalk of the sporophyte that bears the capsule

Origin of seta

1
C18: from Latin

Derived forms of seta

  • setaceous (sɪˈteɪʃəs), adjective
  • setaceously, adverb
  • setal, adjective

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

Scientific definitions for seta

seta

[ ]


Plural setae ()
  1. A stiff hair, bristle, or bristlelike process or part on an organism. Setae on the bodies of spiders are used as sensory organs, while setae on the bodies of many polychaete worms, such as earthworms, are used for locomotion. Microscopic setae on the feet of geckos allow adhesion to vertical surfaces.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.