operculum
Illustration of a fish's opercular series, with the operculum (yellow), preoperculum (red), interoperculum (green) and suboperculum (pink).
Meaning
Noun
- A covering flap in animals, such as a gill cover.
- The lidlike portion of a moss sporangium or of a fruit that detaches to allow the dispersal of spores or seeds.
- A gum flap covering (part of) a partially erupted tooth, usually a wisdom tooth.
- A structure which serves as a cover or lid.
Origin
- Borrowed from Latin operculum.
Modern English dictionary
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