plica

American  

[plahy-kuh] / ˈplaɪ kə /

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.

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plica British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• plical adjective

Etymology

Origin of plica

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

Example Sentences

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

From 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.

From 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.

From 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.

From Washington Times

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

From The Guardian