acinus

[ as-uh-nuh s ]
/ ˈæs ə nəs /

noun, plural ac·i·ni [as-uh-nahy] /ˈæs əˌnaɪ/.

Botany. one of the small drupelets or berries of an aggregate, baccate fruit, as the blackberry.
a berry, as a grape or currant.
Anatomy.
  1. a minute rounded lobule.
  2. the smallest secreting portion of a gland.

Origin of acinus

1725–35; < Latin: grape, berry, seed of a berry

OTHER WORDS FROM acinus

ac·i·nar [as-uh-ner, -nahr] /ˈæs ə nər, -ˌnɑr/, a·cin·ic [uh-sin-ik] /əˈsɪn ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby acinus

acinitis, acinotubular gland, acinous, acinous cell, acinous gland, acinus, acis, ack-ack, ack-emma, ack., ackee

British Dictionary definitions for acinus

acinus
/ (ˈæsɪnəs) /

noun plural -ni (-ˌnaɪ)

anatomy any of the terminal saclike portions of a compound gland
botany any of the small drupes that make up the fruit of the blackberry, raspberry, etc
botany obsolete a collection of berries, such as a bunch of grapes

Derived forms of acinus

acinic (əˈsɪnɪk), acinous or acinose, adjective

Word Origin for acinus

C18: New Latin, from Latin: grape, berry

Medical definitions for acinus

acinus
[ ăs′ə-nəs ]

n. pl. ac•i•ni (-nī′)

Any of several minute grape-shaped secretory portions of an acinous gland.

Other words from acinus

a•cin′ic (ə-sĭn′ĭk) null null adj.