villus
Anatomy, Zoology. one of the minute, wormlike processes on certain membranes, especially on the mucous membrane of the small intestine, where they serve in absorbing nutriment.
Botany. one of the long, soft, straight hairs covering the fruit, flowers, and other parts of certain plants.
Origin of villus
1Words Nearby villus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use villus in a sentence
Villi: soft hairs or papillate processes: plural of villus, q.v.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology | John. B. SmithCollectively, these structures are called the villi (singular villus).
A Civic Biology | George William Huntervillus: a short, hair-like or papillate process on the surface of certain absorbent and sensory organs.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology | John. B. Smith
British Dictionary definitions for villus
/ (ˈvɪləs) /
zoology anatomy any of the numerous finger-like projections of the mucous membrane lining the small intestine of many vertebrates
any similar membranous process, such as any of those in the mammalian placenta
botany any of various hairlike outgrowths, as from the stem of a moss
Origin of villus
1Collins 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 villus
[ vĭl′əs ]
A small projection on the surface of a mucous membrane, such as that of the small intestine.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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