mammillary

[ mam-uh-ler-ee ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a mammilla.

Other Words From

• inter·mammil·lary adjective
• post·mammil·lary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mammillary¹

First recorded in 1605–15; mammill(a) + -ary

Example Sentences

Compared with the mammillary layer, the osteopontin-rich layers had smaller nanometre-scale structures of calcium carbonate, making them denser and harder.

From Nature

In the final days of incubation, the nanostructures in the mammillary layer and the middle layer shrink.

From Nature

Wright, N. F., Erichsen, J. T., Vann, S. D., O’Mara, S. M. & Aggleton, J. P. Parallel but separate inputs from limbic cortices to the mammillary bodies and anterior thalamic nuclei in the rat.

From Nature

The investigations focused their inquiry on the mammillary bodies, two structures on the underside of the brain so named because they resemble small breasts.

From Slate

Mammillary bodies are thought to be an important part of the memory and have long been associated with cases of amnesia.

From Slate