squama

American

[skwey-muh] / ˈskweɪ mə /

noun

plural

squamae

a scale or scalelike part, as of epidermis or bone.

squama British

/ ˈskweɪmə, ˈskweɪmeɪt /

noun

biology a scale or scalelike structure

"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

Other Word Forms

squamate adjective

Etymology

Origin of squama

First recorded in 1700–10, squama is from the Latin word squāma scale

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Calypter: Diptera; the alula or squama when it covers the haltere.

From Project Gutenberg

The "porcupine-man" seen by Baker contracted small-pox, and his skin was temporarily freed from the squamae, but these reappeared shortly afterward.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023