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frenulum

American  
[fren-yuh-luhm] / ˈfrɛn jə ləm /

noun

frenula plural
  1. Anatomy, Zoology. a small frenum.

  2. 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.


frenulum British  
/ ˈfrɛnjʊləm /

noun

  1. 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

  2. a small fraenum

"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

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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.

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In infancy, a type of tongue-tie where the frenulum attaches all the way to the front of the tongue and severely restricts its movement has been treated for hundreds of years.

From Salon Sep. 25, 2021

Cutting the frenulum could even make sleep worse, Baldassari says.

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

According to H. Carstens the frenulum is called in Low German keekel-reem or kikkel-reem, which seems to be derived from käkeln, "to cry, shriek," and reem, "band, cord," so that the word really signifies "speech-band."

From The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought Studies of the Activities and Influences of the Child Among Primitive Peoples, Their Analogues and Survivals in the Civilization of To-Day by Chamberlain, Alexander F.

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