papillary

[pap-uh-ler-ee, puh-pil-uh-ree]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or of the nature of a papilla or papillae.

2. having or covered with papillae.

Other Word Forms

• interpapillary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of papillary¹

1660–70; < Latin papill ( a ) nipple + -ary

Example Sentences

The early indication was that she had papillary thyroid cancer.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Diagnosed in 2013 with serous papillary uterine cancer, a rare and aggressive variety, I went through the full “cut poison burn” treatment of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Read more on Washington Post

Last year, Lugo shared with her followers that she was diagnosed with stage 2 papillary thyroid cancer.

Read more on Fox News

Sixteen days after my beloved dad died last year, I ended up in the emergency room with what turned out to be papillary carcinoma, one of five kinds of thyroid cancer.

Read more on Washington Post

She had something known as a papillary fibroelastoma — an extremely rare but benign mass that usually grows at the edge of the valves in the heart.

Read more on New York Times