frenulum
Americannoun
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Anatomy, Zoology. a small frenum.
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Entomology. a strong spine or group of bristles on the hindwing of many butterflies and moths, projecting beneath the forewing and serving to hold the two wings together in flight.
noun
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a strong bristle or group of bristles on the hind wing of some moths and other insects, by which the forewing and hind wing are united during flight
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a small fraenum
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of frenulum
First recorded in 1890–95; New Latin, from frēn(um) frenum + -ulum, neuter of -ulus -ule
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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.
Cutting the frenulum could even make sleep worse, Baldassari says.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2021
Nonetheless, Zaghi advocates for a surgery that cuts through the frenulum and sometimes into the muscle.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2021
People with the congenital anomaly ankyloglossia, also known by the non-medical term “tongue tie,” have a lingual frenulum that is too short or otherwise malformed.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
The labial frenulum is a midline fold of mucous membrane that attaches the inner surface of each lip to the gum.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
Hamus: Lepidoptera; a hook or loop attached to the under side of costal margin of primaries near base, to receive the frenulum of male moths.
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.