tergal

[tur-guhl]

adjective

1. of or relating to the tergum.

Other Word Forms

• intertergal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tergal¹

First recorded in 1855–60; terg(um) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

When a male roach targets a female roach, he will back up to her, secreting a solution called a nuptial gift from the tergal gland under his wings.

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When a male cockroach wants to mate with a female cockroach very much, he will scoot his butt toward her, open his wings and offer her a homemade meal — sugars and fats squished out of his tergal gland.

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The “tergal hypothesis” suggests that wings originated on the tergum — the top of the insect body wall — perhaps as gliding membranes.

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On Monday, Mr. Rodriques will head back to Purdue University to resume his doctoral research on the seductively sweet tergal secretions of German cockroaches.

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Tergal, ter′gal, adj. pertaining to the back, dorsal.—adjs.

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