ligula
Americannoun
plural
ligulae, ligulas-
Botany, Zoology. a tonguelike or strap-shaped part or organ.
-
Botany. ligule.
noun
-
entomol the terminal part of the labium of an insect consisting of paired lobes
-
a variant spelling of ligule
Other Word Forms
- ligular adjective
- liguloid adjective
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.
Aliquam volutpat, magna ut commodo varius, purus ligula fringilla enim, quis semper orci risus quis augue.
From Forbes • Apr. 23, 2015
Aliquam id risus non ligula rhoncus semper sit amet non erat.
From Forbes • Apr. 23, 2015
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
Lingula: in Aleurodidae, a more or less slender tongue or strap-shaped organ, attached cephalad within the vasiform orifice: a term proposed by Leuckart for the ligula of the bees.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Bouton: a button; the terminal lappet-like process at the tip of the ligula in bees: = spoon.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
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.
