tapetum
Americannoun
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tapeta
plural
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Botany. a layer of cells often investing the archespore in a developing sporangium and absorbed as the spores mature.
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Anatomy, Zoology. any of certain membranous layers or layered coverings, as in the choroid of the eyes of certain animals.
noun
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a layer of nutritive cells in the sporangia of ferns and anthers of flowering plants that surrounds developing spore cells
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a membranous reflecting layer of cells in the choroid of the eye of nocturnal vertebrates
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a similar structure in the eyes of certain nocturnal insects
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anatomy a covering layer of cells behind the retina of the eye
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of tapetum
1705–15; < New Latin, special use of Medieval Latin tapētum coverlet ( Latin, only plural) < Greek tapēt- (stem of tápēs ) carpet, rug
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.
See Examples For:
But the blue tapetum also lets up to 60% of ultraviolet light pass through to the eye's color sensors.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 15, 2023
The tapetum, which some other animals, such as cats and cattle, also possess, sits behind the retina and reflects light back onto it, giving the receptors a second chance to gather more visual detail.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 4, 2023
Inside the pollen sac is a layer called the tapetum, and within this ring are the microspore mother cells.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
There is green “eye shine” from the tapetum lucidum, and a more pronounced superciliary arch.
From Forbes ● Jun. 7, 2013
Iris tapetum: the pigment layer of the compound eye just below the crystalline cone.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith
At 7:50 a.m. on Tuesday, he worked a half mile in 48.40 seconds under the exercise rider Dimitrios Dimitropoulos on Sagamore’s tapeta training track.
From New York Times ● Jun. 8, 2011
The lynx's pupils were wide open, and the golden-yellow tapeta in the backs of her eyeballs were glowing like incandescent lamps.
From Forest Neighbors Life Stories of Wild Animals by William Davenport Hulbert
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