lacuna

[luh-kyoo-nuh]

noun

plural

lacunae, lacunas 

1. a gap or missing part, as in a manuscript, series, or logical argument; hiatus.

2. Anatomy.,  one of the numerous minute cavities in the substance of bone, supposed to contain nucleate cells.

3. Botany.,  an air space in the cellular tissue of plants.

lacuna

/ ˌlækjʊˈnɒsɪtɪ, ləˈkjuːnə /

noun

1. a gap or space, esp in a book or manuscript

2. biology a cavity or depression, such as any of the spaces in the matrix of bone

3. another name for coffer

Other Word Forms

• lacunosity noun
• lacunose adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lacuna¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin lacūna “ditch, pit, hole, gap, deficiency,” akin to lacus “basin, tub, vat, lake”; lake ¹. lagoon

Word History and Origins

Origin of lacuna¹

C17: from Latin lacūna pool, cavity, from lacus lake

Example Sentences

As for a biography of Talking Heads, we are still left with a lacuna that Gould has unfortunately not filled.

From Los Angeles Times

It is this lack of maternal attention that sends Ellis’ two older sisters on different paths, with the same goal in mind: to fill the lacuna left by their mother’s benign neglect.

From Los Angeles Times

This lacuna brings to mind the last words in my 2011 Death By China film uttered by former Congressman Dana Rohrabacher: “China has been treating us like fools. And that’s because we have been fools.”

From Washington Times

And it includes the cavities - called lacuna - that fill with the mother's blood to transfer nutrients to the baby.

From BBC

“Islamic material has been something of a lacuna for them.”

From New York Times