velamen
[ vuh-ley-min ]
noun,plural ve·lam·i·na [vuh-lam-uh-nuh]. /vəˈlæm ə nə/.
Anatomy. a membranous covering; velum.
Botany. the thick, spongy integument or epidermis covering the aerial roots of epiphytic orchids.
Origin of velamen
11880–85; <Latin vēlāmen, equivalent to vēlā(re) to cover + -men noun suffix of result
Words Nearby velamen
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for velamen
velamen
/ (vəˈleɪmɛn) /
nounplural -lamina (-ˈlæmɪnə)
the thick layer of dead cells that covers the aerial roots of certain orchids and aroids and absorbs moisture from the surroundings
anatomy another word for velum
Origin of velamen
1C19: from Latin: a veil, from vēlāre to cover
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
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