pecten

[ pek-tuh n ]
/ ˈpɛk tən /

noun, plural pec·tens, pec·ti·nes [pek-tuh-neez] /ˈpɛk təˌniz/.

Zoology, Anatomy.
  1. a comblike part or process.
  2. a pigmented vascular membrane with parallel folds suggesting the teeth of a comb, projecting into the vitreous humor of the eye in birds and reptiles.
any bivalve mollusk of the genus Pecten; scallop.

Origin of pecten

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin pecten comb, rake, scallop, pubes, akin to pectere, Greek pékein to comb, card

Example sentences from the Web for pecten

British Dictionary definitions for pecten

pecten
/ (ˈpɛktɪn) /

noun plural -tens or -tines (-tɪˌniːz)

a comblike structure in the eye of birds and reptiles, consisting of a network of blood vessels projecting inwards from the retina, which it is thought to supply with oxygen
any other comblike part or organ
any scallop of the genus Pecten, which swim by expelling water from their shell valves in a series of snapping motions

Word Origin for pecten

C18: from Latin: a comb, from pectere, related to Greek pekein to comb

Medical definitions for pecten

pecten
[ pĕktən ]

n. pl. pec•tens

A body structure or an organ resembling a comb.