capitulum

[ kuh-pich-uh-luh m ]
/ kəˈpɪtʃ ə ləm /

noun, plural ca·pit·u·la [kuh-pich-uh-luh] /kəˈpɪtʃ ə lə/.

Biology. any globose or knoblike part, as a flower head or the head of a bone.

Origin of capitulum

1715–25; < Latin, equivalent to capit- (stem of caput) head + -ulum, neuter of -ulus -ule

Example sentences from the Web for capitulum

British Dictionary definitions for capitulum

capitulum
/ (kəˈpɪtjʊləm) /

noun plural -la (-lə)

a racemose inflorescence in the form of a disc of sessile flowers, the youngest at the centre. It occurs in the daisy and related plants
anatomy zoology a headlike part, esp the enlarged knoblike terminal part of a long bone, antenna, etc

Word Origin for capitulum

C18: from Latin, literally: a little head, from caput head

Medical definitions for capitulum

capitulum
[ kə-pĭchə-ləm ]

n. pl. ca•pit•u•la (-lə)

A small head or rounded articular extremity of a bone.

Other words from capitulum

ca•pitu•lar adj.

Scientific definitions for capitulum

capitulum
[ kə-pĭchə-ləm ]

Plural capitula

A small knob or head-shaped part, such as a protuberance of a bone or the tip of an insect's antenna.
An inflorescence consisting of a compact mass of small stalkless flowers, as in the English daisy. The yellow central portion of the capitulum of a daisy consists of disk flowers, while the outer white, petallike structures are actually ray flowers. The capitulum is the characteristic inflorescence of the composite family (Asteraceae) of flowering plants.