sclerite

[ skleer-ahyt, skler- ]

/ ˈsklɪər aɪt, ˈsklɛr- /

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noun Zoology.

any chitinous, calcareous, or similar hard part, plate, spicule, or the like.

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Origin of sclerite

First recorded in 1860–65; scler- + -ite¹

OTHER WORDS FROM sclerite

scle·rit·ic

[skli-rit-ik], /sklɪˈrɪt ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby sclerite

sclere, sclerectomy, sclereid, sclerema, sclerenchyma, sclerite, scleritis, sclero-, scleroderma, sclerodermatous, scleroid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sclerite in a sentence

Appendicle: a small appendix: in some bees, a small sclerite at tip of labrum.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology|John. B. Smith
Conjunctivus: a mandibular sclerite between the molar and basalis.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology|John. B. Smith
Submentum: the basal sclerite of the labium, by means of which it is attached to the head.
Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology|John. B. Smith
Fifth ventral sclerite of the male plainly visible; sternopleurals usually two.
Handbook of Medical Entomology|William Albert Riley

Fifth ventral abdominal sclerite of the male cleft to beyond the middle; ventral sclerites usually visible, shield-like.
Handbook of Medical Entomology|William Albert Riley

British Dictionary definitions for sclerite

sclerite

/ (ˈsklɪəraɪt) /

noun zoology

any of the hard chitinous plates that make up the exoskeleton of an arthropod

any calcareous or chitinous part, such as a spicule or plate

Derived forms of sclerite

scleritic (sklɪəˈrɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for sclerite

C19: from sclero- + -ite 1

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