follicle
[ fol-i-kuh l ]
/ ˈfɒl ɪ kəl /
noun
Anatomy.
- a small cavity, sac, or gland.
- one of the small ovarian sacs containing an immature ovum; Graafian follicle.
Botany.
a dry seed vessel, or pod, consisting of a single carpel, splitting at maturity only along the front part of the suture.
Words nearby follicle
Example sentences from the Web for follicle
British Dictionary definitions for follicle
follicle
/ (ˈfɒlɪkəl) /
noun
any small sac or cavity in the body having an excretory, secretory, or protective function
a hair follicle
botany
a dry fruit, formed from a single carpel, that splits along one side only to release its seeds: occurs in larkspur and columbine
Derived forms of follicle
follicular (fɒˈlɪkjʊlə), folliculate (fɒˈlɪkjʊˌleɪt) or folliculated, adjectiveWord Origin for follicle
C17: from Latin
folliculus small bag, from
follis pair of bellows, leather money-bag
Medical definitions for follicle
follicle
[ fŏl′ĭ-kəl ]
n.
A small bodily cavity or sac.
A crypt or minute cul-de-sac or lacuna, such as the depression in the skin from which the hair emerges.
An ovarian follicle.
A spherical mass of cells usually containing a cavity.
Scientific definitions for follicle
follicle
[ fŏl′ĭ-kəl ]
A small, protective sac, gland, or cluster of cells in the body. In mammals, unfertilized eggs develop in follicles located in the ovaries. Hair grows from follicles in the skin.
A dry, dehiscent fruit that develops from a single carpel, has a single chamber, and splits open along only one seam to release its seeds. The pod of the milkweed and the fruit of the magnolia are follicles.