epithelium

[ ep-uh-thee-lee-uhm ]

noun,plural ep·i·the·li·ums, ep·i·the·li·a

[ep-uh-thee-lee-uh]. /ˌɛp əˈθi li ə/. Biology.

any plant or animal tissue that covers a surface or lines a cavity, and that also performs any of various secretory, transporting, or regulatory functions.

Origin of epithelium

First recorded in 1740–50; from New Latin, from Greek epi- epi- + thēl(ḗ) “teat” + New Latin -ium -ium

Other words from epithelium

ep·i·the·li·al, adjective

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

How to use epithelium in a sentence

After the first poisoning, the epithelia are permanently injured and remain more permeable to protein.
The Treatment of Hay Fever | George Frederick Laidlaw
The pus-corpuscles which eventually appear originate mainly from transformed epithelia.
A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I | Various
Between these chambers the separating strata of epithelia are compressed so as to form septa or partition walls.
A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I | Various
Mucus is a viscid fluid secreted by the gland-cells, or epithelia.
A Treatise on Anatomy, Physiology, and Hygiene (Revised Edition) | Calvin Cutter
The epithelia of the rete mucosum are swollen and stretched.
A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I | Various

British Dictionary definitions for epithelium

epithelium

/ (ˌɛpɪˈθiːlɪəm) /

nounplural -liums or -lia (-lɪə)

an animal tissue consisting of one or more layers of closely packed cells covering the external and internal surfaces of the body. The cells vary in structure according to their function, which may be protective, secretory, or absorptive

Origin of epithelium

C18: New Latin, from epi- + Greek thēlē nipple

Derived forms of epithelium

epithelial, 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

Scientific definitions for epithelium

epithelium

[ ĕp′ə-thē′lē-əm ]

Plural epithelia

The thin, membranous tissue that lines most of the internal and external surfaces of an animal's body. Epithelium is composed of one or more layers of densely packed cells. In vertebrates, it lines the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), the surface of most body cavities, and the lumen of fluid-filled organs, such as the gut or intestine.

Other words from epithelium

epithelial adjective

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