tergum

[ tur-guhm ]

noun,plural ter·ga [tur-guh]. /ˈtɜr gə/. Zoology.
  1. the dorsal surface of a body segment of an arthropod.

Origin of tergum

1
1820–30; <Latin: the back

Words Nearby tergum

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tergum in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tergum

tergum

/ (ˈtɜːɡəm) /


nounplural -ga (-ɡə)
  1. a cuticular plate covering the dorsal surface of a body segment of an arthropod: Compare sternum (def. 3)

Origin of tergum

1
C19: from Latin: the back

Derived forms of tergum

  • tergal, adjective

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