raphides

[ raf-i-deez ]

plural noun

, Botany.

, singular ra·phide [rey, -fahyd], ra·phis [rey, -fis].

1. acicular crystals, usually composed of calcium oxalate, that occur in bundles in the cells of many plants.

Word History and Origins

Origin of raphides¹

1835–45; < New Latin < Greek rhaphídes, plural of rhaphís needle

Example Sentences

Under the microscope the slide was found to be covered with a mass of raphides.

From Project Gutenberg

Crystals, called raphides, in the wood cells, take the edges off tools used in working locust lumber.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of these cells contain bundles of raphides (Fig. 2), one of which bundles is shown crushed in Fig.

From Project Gutenberg

The fuchsia and tradescantia contained bundles of raphides of the same form and equally as fine as those of the acrid plants.

From Project Gutenberg

The filtered ether was clear, entirely free from raphides, and had also lost every trace of its acridity.

From Project Gutenberg