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follicle

American  
[fol-i-kuhl] / ˈfɒl ɪ kəl /

noun

  1. Anatomy.

    1. a small cavity, sac, or gland.

    2. one of the small ovarian sacs containing an immature ovum; Graafian follicle.

  2. Botany. a dry seed vessel, or pod, consisting of a single carpel, splitting at maturity only along the front part of the suture.

follicle British  
/ fɒˈlɪkjʊˌleɪt, ˈfɒlɪkəl, fɒˈlɪkjʊlə /

noun

  1. any small sac or cavity in the body having an excretory, secretory, or protective function

    a hair follicle

  2. botany a dry fruit, formed from a single carpel, that splits along one side only to release its seeds: occurs in larkspur and columbine

"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
follicle Scientific  
/ fŏl′ĭ-kəl /

  1. A small, protective sac, gland, or cluster of cells in the body. In mammals, unfertilized eggs develop in follicles located in the ovaries. Hair grows from follicles in the skin.

  2. A dry, dehiscent fruit that develops from a single carpel, has a single chamber, and splits open along only one seam to release its seeds. The pod of the milkweed and the fruit of the magnolia are follicles.

Other Word Forms

  • follicular adjective

Etymology

Origin of follicle

First recorded in 1640–50, follicle is from the Latin word folliculus small bag, shell, pod. See follis, -cle 1

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.

To investigate the mechanism further, the scientists blocked cell division inside the follicle.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

It helps reduce the effects of dihydrotestosterone, a hormone linked to follicle shrinkage, while also protecting hair follicle cells from premature cell death.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

One ongoing project is testing whether cysteine can promote hair follicle regrowth.

From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2025

Judge Hassan al-Shami, one of the officials appointed by Lebanon's government to investigate Sadr's disappearance, says Amal told him the follicle sample had been lost because of a "technical error".

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2025

None of them are up to their usual chatter, so I can hear every strand being yanked from its follicle.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

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.