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Synonyms

villus

American  
[vil-uhs] / ˈvɪl əs /

noun

plural

villi

  1. Anatomy, Zoology. one of the minute, wormlike processes on certain membranes, especially on the mucous membrane of the small intestine, where they serve in absorbing nutriment.

  2. Botany. one of the long, soft, straight hairs covering the fruit, flowers, and other parts of certain plants.

villus British  
/ ˈvɪləs /

noun

  1. zoology anatomy any of the numerous finger-like projections of the mucous membrane lining the small intestine of many vertebrates

  2. any similar membranous process, such as any of those in the mammalian placenta

  3. botany any of various hairlike outgrowths, as from the stem of a moss

"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
villus Scientific  
/ vĭl′əs /

plural

villi

  1. A small projection on the surface of a mucous membrane, such as that of the small intestine.

Etymology

Origin of villus

1695–1705; < Latin: shaggy hair, thick nap

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.

CVS or chorionic villus sampling, is offered at 10 to 13 weeks gestation.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024

This restriction stems from the fact that the analysis currently necessitates either chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis, both procedures associated with discomfort and a slight risk of miscarriage.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2024

The same would be true of women who have prenatal testing of fetuses with amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, known as C.V.S.

From New York Times • Aug. 17, 2022

In the past, women had to undergo chorionic villus sampling, in which cells are taken from the placenta, or amniocentesis, which involves removing fluid from the womb, to test for the chromosomal abnormality.

From Washington Post • Mar. 5, 2018

B represents the membranous surface covering the villus; C, the blood-vessels within the villus.

From The Story of the Living Machine A Review of the Conclusions of Modern Biology in Regard to the Mechanism Which Controls the Phenomena of Living Activity by Conn, H. W. (Herbert William)

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.