follicle
Americannoun
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Anatomy.
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a small cavity, sac, or gland.
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one of the small ovarian sacs containing an immature ovum; Graafian follicle.
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Botany. a dry seed vessel, or pod, consisting of a single carpel, splitting at maturity only along the front part of the suture.
noun
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any small sac or cavity in the body having an excretory, secretory, or protective function
a hair follicle
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botany a dry fruit, formed from a single carpel, that splits along one side only to release its seeds: occurs in larkspur and columbine
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A small, protective sac, gland, or cluster of cells in the body. In mammals, unfertilized eggs develop in follicles located in the ovaries. Hair grows from follicles in the skin.
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A dry, dehiscent fruit that develops from a single carpel, has a single chamber, and splits open along only one seam to release its seeds. The pod of the milkweed and the fruit of the magnolia are follicles.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of follicle
First recorded in 1640–50, follicle is from the Latin word folliculus small bag, shell, pod. See follis, -cle 1
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.
Finasteride works by targeting hormones involved in follicle shrinkage, while minoxidil is commonly used on the scalp to encourage growth.
From Science Daily • Jun. 7, 2026
They question Hilton’s motives for growing the beard and say all it does is expose his follicle deficiencies in comparison to Bianco’s lush upper lip.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
As of right now, dermatologists don’t know the root cause of FAPD, though they believe it might show up in midlife due to a decline in estrogen, which protects against hair follicle inflammation.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
Computer simulations supported the findings, showing that the pulling force created by coordinated movement in the outer layers of the follicle was necessary to match the observed speed of hair growth.
From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026
My chest is chapatti-flat and parts of me that should be getting hairy are still waiting for the first sign of a follicle.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
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.
