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.

Red whirls on this rabbit’s tongue are filiform papillae, which roughen the tongue and help move food around the mouth.

From New York Times • May 21, 2024

It's surface is made up of hundreds of small buds -- known as papillae -- that assist with taste, talking and swallowing.

From Science Daily • Dec. 14, 2023

To match their backgrounds, cuttlefish use an array of pigment-filled skin cells called chromatophores and raised structures called papillae.

From New York Times • Jun. 28, 2023

The saliva coats the papillae, which can act like tiny sticky fingers to help grip prey, David Hu, a biomechanics researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and his colleagues reported in 2017.

From Science Magazine • May 24, 2023

“The papillae house the taste buds. Let’s count them!”

From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead