Dictionary.com

cercus

[ sur-kuhs, ker- ]
/ ˈsɜr kəs, ˈkɛr- /
Save This Word!

noun, plural cer·ci [sur-sahy, ker-kee]. /ˈsɜr saɪ, ˈkɛr ki/.
one of a pair of appendages at the rear of the abdomen of certain insects and other arthropods, serving as tactile organs.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of cercus

1820–30; <New Latin <Greek kérkos tail

OTHER WORDS FROM cercus

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

How to use cercus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cercus

cercus
/ (ˈsɜːkəs) /

noun plural -ci (-siː)
one of a pair of sensory appendages at the tip of the abdomen of some insects and other arthropods

Word Origin for cercus

C19: from New Latin, from Greek kerkos tail
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
FEEDBACK