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ommatidium

[ om-uh-tid-ee-uhm ]
/ ˌɒm əˈtɪd i əm /

noun, plural om·ma·tid·i·a [om-uh-tid-ee-uh]. /ˌɒm əˈtɪd i ə/. Zoology.

one of the radial elements composing a compound eye.

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Origin of ommatidium

1880–85; <New Latin <Greek ommat- (stem of ómma eye) + New Latin -idium-idium

OTHER WORDS FROM ommatidium

om·ma·tid·i·al, adjective

Words nearby ommatidium

omissive, omit, Omiya, OMM, ommateum, ommatidium, ommatophore, Ommiad, omn. bih., omn. hor., omni-
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for ommatidium

British Dictionary definitions for ommatidium

ommatidium
/ (ˌɒməˈtɪdɪəm) /

noun plural -tidia (-ˈtɪdɪə)

any of the numerous cone-shaped units that make up the compound eyes of some arthropods

Derived forms of ommatidium

ommatidial, adjective

Word Origin for ommatidium

C19: via New Latin from Greek ommatidion, from omma eye
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for ommatidium

ommatidium
[ ŏm′ə-tĭd′ē-əm ]

Plural ommatidia

One of the tiny light-sensitive parts of the compound eye of insects and other arthropods. An ommatidium resembles a single simplified eye. See more at compound eye.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.