plica

[plahy-kuh]

noun

plural

plicae 

1. Zoology, Anatomy.,  a fold or folding.

2. Also called plica polonica. Pathology.,  a matted, filthy condition of the hair, caused by disease, vermin, etc.

3. (in medieval music) a vertical mark attached to a neume, standing for an interpolated melodic ornament.

plica

/ ˈplaɪkə /

noun

1. Also called: fold. anatomy a folding over of parts, such as a fold of skin, muscle, peritoneum, etc

2. pathol a condition of the hair characterized by matting, filth, and the presence of parasites

Other Word Forms

• plical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plica¹

1675–85; < Medieval Latin: a fold, back formation from Latin plicāre to fold, ply ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of plica¹

C17: from Medieval Latin: a fold, from Latin plicāre to fold; see _ply ²

Example Sentences

“There’s an expression in Latin for this: plica polonica,” she told me later.

Read more on The New Yorker

All of this leaves me wondering as goes the precise status of the captive animals – labelled P. plica – shown in the photos here.

Read more on Scientific American

Noel has been experiencing soreness and, after consulting with several specialists, elected to have inflamed plica removed from his knee, the Sixers announced.

Read more on Washington Times

Then, almost immediately following the World Cup it was announced that Morgan had surgery procedure to remove a plica, or a small fold in the lining of the knee joint that was causing irritation.

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She returned in time for the tournament and then underwent surgery to remove a plica in her knee shortly after.

Read more on The Guardian