macula
[ mak-yuh-luh ]
/ ˈmæk yə lə /
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noun, plural mac·u·lae [mak-yuh-lee]. /ˈmæk yəˌli/.
a spot or blotch, especially on one's skin; macule.
Ophthalmology.
- an opaque spot on the cornea.
- Also called macula lutea, yellow spot. an irregularly oval, yellow-pigmented area on the central retina, containing color-sensitive rods and the central point of sharpest vision.
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Origin of macula
1350–1400; Middle English <Latin: spot, blemish
OTHER WORDS FROM macula
mac·u·lar, adjectivemul·ti·mac·u·lar, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use macula in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for macula
macula
macule (ˈmækjuːl)
/ (ˈmækjʊlə) /
noun plural -ulae (-jʊˌliː) or -ules anatomy
a small spot or area of distinct colour, esp the macula lutea
any small discoloured spot or blemish on the skin, such as a freckle
Derived forms of macula
macular, adjectiveWord Origin for macula
C14: from Latin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for macula
macula
[ măk′yə-lə ]
n. pl. mac•u•las
Also mac•ule (-yōōl′) A discolored spot or area on the skin that is not elevated above the surface and is characteristic of certain conditions, such as smallpox, purpura, or roseola.
An opaque spot on the cornea.
The macula lutea.
Other words from macula
mac′u•lar adj.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for macula
macula
[ măk′yə-lə ]
Plural maculae (măk′yə-lē′) maculas
A minute yellowish area located near the center of the retina of the eye, at which visual perception is most acute.
A discolored spot on the skin that is not elevated above the surface.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.