operculum

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin operculum.

Noun

operculum (plural opercula)

  1. (zoology) A covering flap in animals, such as a gill cover.
  2. (botany) The lidlike portion of a moss sporangium or of a fruit that detaches to allow the dispersal of spores or seeds.
  3. A structure which serves as a cover or lid.
    • 1901, H. G. Wells, The First Men in the Moon, chapter IX, page 95
      I lifted the circular operculum from its place and laid it carefully on the bale.

Derived terms

Translations

Latin

Etymology

From operiō (“I close”) +‎ -culum.

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /oˈper.ku.lum/, [ɔˈpɛr.kʊ.ɫũ]

Noun

operculum n (genitive operculī); second declension

  1. cover, covering

Inflection

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative operculum opercula
genitive operculī operculōrum
dative operculō operculīs
accusative operculum opercula
ablative operculō operculīs
vocative operculum opercula

Descendants

References

  • operculum in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • operculum in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • operculum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
  • operculum in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
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