ligula
Americannoun
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ligulae,
plural
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ligulas
plural
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Botany, Zoology. a tonguelike or strap-shaped part or organ.
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Botany. ligule.
noun
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entomol the terminal part of the labium of an insect consisting of paired lobes
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a variant spelling of ligule
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ligula
1750–60; < New Latin, special use of Latin li ( n ) gula spoon, shoe-strap, equivalent to lig-, variant stem of lingere to lick + -ula -ule
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.
The long sucking “tongue” of bees is probably a modification of the ligula.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 4 "Hero" to "Hindu Chronology" by Various
Elytral ligula: a tongue-like process on the inner face of the side margin of elytra, to perfect the union with the ventral segments: e.g. in Dytiscidae.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith
Tongue: an indefinite term, applied usually to the coiled mouth structure of Lepidoptera; the lapping organ of flies; the ligula of bees and wasps and, sometimes also to the hypopharynx of other insects.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith
Glossa: the inner lobe of second maxilla, corresponding to the lacing of first maxilla: loosely used as a synonym for tongue: especially applied to the coiled structure of the Lepidoptera; see also ligula.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith
Epilobe: of mentum in Carabidae, really corresponds to a partially divided ligula: a lateral appendage of a bilobed mentum.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith
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.
