fissure
[ fish-er ]
/ ˈfɪʃ ər /
noun
a narrow opening produced by cleavage or separation of parts.
Anatomy.
a natural division or groove in an organ, as in the brain.
verb (used with object), fis·sured, fis·sur·ing.
to make fissures in; cleave; split.
verb (used without object), fis·sured, fis·sur·ing.
to open in fissures; become split.
Origin of fissure
OTHER WORDS FROM fissure
fis·su·ral, adjective fis·sure·less, adjective sub·fis·sure, noun su·per·fis·sure, nounWords nearby fissure
Example sentences from the Web for fissure
British Dictionary definitions for fissure
fissure
/ (ˈfɪʃə) /
noun
any long narrow cleft or crack, esp in a rock
a weakness or flaw indicating impending disruption or discord
fissures in a decaying empire
anatomy
a narrow split or groove that divides an organ such as the brain, lung, or liver into lobes
See also sulcus
a small unnatural crack in the skin or mucous membrane, as between the toes or at the anus
a minute crack in the surface of a tooth, caused by imperfect joining of enamel during development
verb
to crack or split apart
Word Origin for fissure
C14: from medical Latin
fissūra, from Latin
fissus split
Medical definitions for fissure
fissure
[ fĭsh′ər ]
n.
A deep furrow, cleft, or slit.
A developmental break or fault in the enamel of a tooth.
Scientific definitions for fissure
fissure
[ fĭsh′ər ]
A long, narrow crack or opening in the face of a rock. Fissures are often filled with minerals of a different type from those in the surrounding rock.