trabecula

[ truh-bek-yuh-luh ]
/ trəˈbɛk yə lə /

noun, plural tra·bec·u·lae [truh-bek-yuh-lee] /trəˈbɛk yəˌli/.

Anatomy, Botany. a structural part resembling a small beam or crossbar.
Botany. one of the projections from the cell wall that extends across the cavity of the ducts of certain plants, or the plate of cells across the cavity of the sporangium of a moss.

Origin of trabecula

1815–25; < New Latin trabēcula, Latin: little beam, equivalent to trabē(s) beam + -cula -cule1

OTHER WORDS FROM trabecula

tra·bec·u·lar, tra·bec·u·late [truh-bek-yuh-lit, -leyt] /trəˈbɛk yə lɪt, -ˌleɪt/, adjective in·ter·tra·bec·u·lar, adjective

Words nearby trabecula

tr, tr., tra, tra-la, trabeated, trabecula, trabecular bone, trabecular reticulum, trabeculoplasty, trabeculotomy, trabs

Example sentences from the Web for trabeculae

British Dictionary definitions for trabeculae

trabecula
/ (trəˈbɛkjʊlə) /

noun plural -lae (-ˌliː) anatomy botany

any of various rod-shaped structures that divide organs into separate chambers
any of various rod-shaped cells or structures that bridge a cavity, as within the capsule of a moss or across the lumen of a cell

Derived forms of trabecula

trabecular or trabeculate, adjective

Word Origin for trabecula

C19: via New Latin from Latin: a little beam, from trabs a beam

Medical definitions for trabeculae

trabecula
[ trə-bĕk′yə-lə ]

n. pl. tra•bec•u•lae (-lē′)

Any of the supporting strands of connective tissue projecting into an organ and constituting part of the framework of that organ.
Any of the fine spicules forming a network in cancellous bone.

Other words from trabecula

tra•bec′u•lar adj.