glossa
1 Americannoun
plural
glossae, glossas-
Anatomy. the tongue.
-
Entomology. one of a pair of median, sometimes fused lobes of the labium of an insect.
noun
noun
-
anatomy a technical word for the tongue
-
a paired tonguelike lobe in the labium of an insect
Other Word Forms
- glossal adjective
Etymology
Origin of glossa
First recorded in 1885–90, glossa is from the Greek word glôssa tongue
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.
D, Lower lip: d1, submentum; d2, mentum; d3, labial palp; d4, glossa; d5, paraglossa.
From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 2: Ebert to Estremadura by Various
The verb to gloss, or gloze, means simply to explain or translate, from Greco-Lat. glossa, tongue; but, under the influence of the unrelated gloss, superficial lustre, it has acquired the sense of specious interpretation.
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest
Lingua spiralis: the spiral tongue of Lepidoptera: see glossa.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
The reference to the "glossa of Theotypas" is part of the fiction.
From A Handbook to the Works of Browning (6th ed.) by Orr, Sutherland, Mrs.
For in the text, when these words are used: "your wife taken in adultery," a glossa explains the word "taken" as equal to "convicted."
From The Old Yellow Book Source of Robert Browning's The Ring and the Book by Anonymous
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.