ligula
Americannoun
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Botany, Zoology. a tonguelike or strap-shaped part or organ.
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Botany. ligule.
noun
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entomol the terminal part of the labium of an insect consisting of paired lobes
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a variant spelling of ligule
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ligula
1750–60; < New Latin, special use of Latin li ( n ) gula spoon, shoe-strap, equivalent to lig-, variant stem of lingere to lick + -ula -ule
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.
Tongue: an indefinite term, applied usually to the coiled mouth structure of Lepidoptera; the lapping organ of flies; the ligula of bees and wasps and, sometimes also to the hypopharynx of other insects.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Papilla: a minute, soft projection: specifically the modified ligula in silk spinning caterpillars.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Auricle -cula: an appendage resembling a little ear; in Odonata the tumescent area at the sides of the second abdominal segment: in Andrenidae, a short membranous process placed laterally on the ligula.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Paraglossa, par-a-glos′a, n. one of the two appendages of the ligula in insects.—adjs.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
Bouton: a button; the terminal lappet-like process at the tip of the ligula in bees: = spoon.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
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.
