ostiole

American

[os-tee-ohl] / ˈɒs tiˌoʊl /

noun

Biology. a small opening or pore, especially in the fruiting body of a fungus.

ostiole British

/ ˈɒstɪələ, ˈɒstɪˌəʊl /

noun

the pore in the reproductive bodies of certain algae and fungi through which spores pass
any small pore

"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

Other Word Forms

ostiolar

adjective

Etymology

Origin of ostiole

1825–35; < Latin ōstiolum little door, equivalent to ōsti ( um ) door ( see ostium) + -olum -ole ¹

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.

See Examples For:

ostiole

Ostiolar canal: a marginal furrow leading from the ostiole.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023