scutellum

American  

[skyoo-tel-uhm] / skjuˈtɛl əm /

noun

• scutella
  plural

1. Botany. the shieldlike cotyledon of certain monocots.

2. Zoology. a small plate, scutum, or other shieldlike part, as on the thorax of insects or the feet of birds.

---

scutellum British  

/ skjuːˈtɛləm /

noun

1. the last of three plates into which the notum of an insect's thorax is divided

2. one of the scales on the tarsus of a bird's leg

3. an outgrowth from a germinating grass seed that probably represents the cotyledon

4. any other small shield-shaped part or structure

---

scutellum Scientific  

/ skyo̅o̅-tĕl′əm /

• scutella
  plural

1. A shieldlike bony plate or scale, as on the thorax of some insects.

2. The large, shield-shaped cotyledon of the embryo of a grass plant, specialized for the absorption of food from the endosperm.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• scutellar
  adjective
• scutellate
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• scutella
  plural

Etymology

Origin of scutellum

1750–60; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin scūt ( um ) shield ( see scute) + -ellum diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scutellum scutella

Found globally, these insects are named for their outsized scutellum, from the Latin word scutum, meaning shield.

From National Geographic ● Jun. 23, 2018

Somewhat magnified. sc, scutellum; co, cl, m, corium, clavus and membrane of forewing.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3 "Helmont, Jean" to "Hernosand" by Various

Upon the side of the embryo next the endosperm and enveloping it is a large shield-shaped body, termed the scutellum.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various

Thorax punctured, the disk of the mesothorax impunctate, the punctures wide apart on the scutellum and metathorax; the wings dark brown with a coppery iridescence, which has a remarkable dimness as if breathed upon.

From Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society - Vol. 3 Zoology by Various

The Aradidae have two segmented feet, and a large visible scutellum.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3 "Helmont, Jean" to "Hernosand" by Various

It follows the scutum, and is followed by the small postscutellum; a scutella.

From The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary Section S by Project Gutenberg

Each kind gets its name from the Latin scutella, "a little cap," which the calyx resembles, and is therefore called Hood Wort, or Helmet flower.

From Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by William Thomas Fernie