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plica

[ plahy-kuh ]
/ ˈplaɪ kə /
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See synonyms for plica on Thesaurus.com
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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to plica

bend, circumvolution, cockle, convolution, corrugation, crease, crimp, crinkle, flection, flexure, furrow, gather, groove, lap, lapel, layer, loop, overlap, plait, pleat

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
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