ligula

American  

[lig-yuh-luh] / ˈlɪg jə lə /

noun

• ligulae,
  plural
• ligulas
  plural

1. Botany, Zoology. a tonguelike or strap-shaped part or organ.

2. Botany. ligule.

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ligula British  

/ ˈlɪɡjʊlə /

noun

1. entomol the terminal part of the labium of an insect consisting of paired lobes

2. a variant spelling of ligule

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ligular
  adjective
• liguloid
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ligulae
  plural
• ligulas
  plural

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ligula

Papilla: a minute, soft projection: specifically the modified ligula in silk spinning caterpillars.

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

Paraglossa: a paired, labial structure, lying at each side of the ligula; often connected with it; sometimes free and two-jointed: corresponds to the galea of maxilla.

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

Paraglossa, par-a-glos′a, n. one of the two appendages of the ligula in insects.—adjs.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

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