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plica

[ plahy-kuh ]
/ ˈplaɪ kə /
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noun, plural pli·cae [plahy-see, -kee]. /ˈplaɪ si, -ki/.
Zoology, Anatomy. a fold or folding.
Also called pli·ca po·lon·i·ca [puh-lon-i-kuh]. /pəˈlɒn ɪ kə/. Pathology. a matted, filthy condition of the hair, caused by disease, vermin, etc.
(in medieval music) a vertical mark attached to a neume, standing for an interpolated melodic ornament.
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Origin of plica

1675–85; <Medieval Latin: a fold, back formation from Latin plicāre to fold, ply2

OTHER WORDS FROM plica

plical, adjective

Words nearby plica

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use plica in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for plica

plica
/ (ˈplaɪkə) /

noun plural plicae (ˈplaɪsiː)
Also called: fold anatomy a folding over of parts, such as a fold of skin, muscle, peritoneum, etc
pathol a condition of the hair characterized by matting, filth, and the presence of parasites

Derived forms of plica

plical, adjective

Word Origin for plica

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

Medical definitions for plica

plica
[ plīkə ]

n. pl. pli•cae (-kē)
A fold or ridge, as of skin or membrane.
false membrane

Other words from plica

plical adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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