acinus

[ as-uh-nuhs ]

noun,plural ac·i·ni

[as-uh-nahy]. /ˈæs əˌnaɪ/.

Botany. one of the small drupelets or berries of an aggregate, baccate fruit, as the blackberry.
a berry, as a grape or currant.

Anatomy.
- a minute rounded lobule.
- the smallest secreting portion of a gland.

Origin of acinus

1725–35; <Latin: grape, berry, seed of a berry

Other words from acinus

ac·i·nar [as-uh-ner, -nahr], /ˈæs ə nər, -ˌnɑr/, a·cin·ic [uh-sin-ik], /əˈsɪn ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use acinus in a sentence

The centres of the acini showed parenchymatous and fatty degeneration.
Plague | Thomas Wright Jackson
Acini: granulations, like those on a blackberry: the terminal secreting tubes of glands.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology | John. B. Smith
The liver was softer than natural, and exhibited a notable yellowishness in the centre of the acini.
Poisons: Their Effects and Detection | Alexander Wynter Blyth
The organ showed prominent structure, the centres of the acini being red, the periphery lighter in color.
Plague | Thomas Wright Jackson
The cells on the periphery of the acini exhibited typical fatty infiltration.
Plague | Thomas Wright Jackson

British Dictionary definitions for acinus

acinus

/ (ˈæsɪnəs) /

nounplural -ni (-ˌnaɪ)

anatomy any of the terminal saclike portions of a compound gland
botany any of the small drupes that make up the fruit of the blackberry, raspberry, etc

botany obsolete a collection of berries, such as a bunch of grapes

Origin of acinus

C18: New Latin, from Latin: grape, berry

Derived forms of acinus

acinic (əˈsɪnɪk), acinous or acinose, 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

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