amphicelous

or am·phi·coe·lous

[am-fuh-see-luh s]

adjective Anatomy, Zoology.

concave on both sides, as the bodies of the vertebrae of fishes.

Origin of amphicelous

First recorded in 1865–70, amphicelous is from the Greek word amphíkoilos hollow at both ends. See amphi-, -cele², -ous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for amphicoelous

Historical Examples of amphicoelous

The vertebrae are amphicoelous, and are generally well ossified.
The Vertebrate Skeleton
Sidney H. Reynolds
The end result is an amphicoelous or biconcave centrum in general appearance much like that of the Selachian.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 3
Various
The vertebrae are amphicoelous or sometimes nearly flat, and the notochord sometimes persists to some extent.
The Vertebrate Skeleton
Sidney H. Reynolds
The neck is long, the caudal vertebrae are amphicoelous, and from three to five vertebrae are fused together in the sacral region.
The Vertebrate Skeleton
Sidney H. Reynolds

British Dictionary definitions for amphicoelous

amphicoelous

adjective

(of the vertebrae of most fishes and some amphibians) concave at the anterior and posterior ends

Word Origin for amphicoelous

C19: from amphi- + Greek koilos hollow

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