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hilum
[ hahy-luhm ]
/ ˈhaɪ ləm /
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noun, plural hi·la [hahy-luh]. /ˈhaɪ lə/.
Botany.
- the mark or scar on a seed produced by separation from its funicle or placenta.
- the nucleus of a granule of starch.
Mycology. a mark or scar on a spore at the point of attachment to the spore-bearing structure.
Anatomy. the region at which the vessels, nerves, etc., enter or emerge from a part.
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Origin of hilum
1650–60; <New Latin; Latin: little thing, trifle; see nil
OTHER WORDS FROM hilum
hilar, adjectiveWords nearby hilum
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use hilum in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for hilum
hilum
/ (ˈhaɪləm) /
noun plural -la (-lÉ™)
botany
- a scar on the surface of a seed marking its point of attachment to the seed stalk (funicle)
- the nucleus of a starch grain
a deep fissure or depression on the surface of a bodily organ around the point of entrance or exit of vessels, nerves, or ducts
Word Origin for hilum
C17: from Latin: trifle; see nihil
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for hilum
hilum
[ hī′ləm ]
Plural hila
A mark or scar on a seed, such as a bean, showing where it was formerly attached to the plant. The hilum indicates the point of attachment of the funiculus.
A depression or opening through which nerves, ducts, or blood vessels pass in an organ or a gland, as in the medial aspect of the lungs or the kidneys .
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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