papilla

[ puh-pil-uh ]

noun

, plural pa·pil·lae [p, uh, -, pil, -ee].

1. any small, nipplelike process or projection.
2. one of certain small protuberances concerned with the senses of touch, taste, and smell:

   the papillae of the tongue.

3. a small vascular process at the root of a hair.
4. a papule or pimple.

papilla

/ pəˈpɪlə /

noun

1. the small projection of tissue at the base of a hair, tooth, or feather
2. any other similar protuberance
3. any minute blunt hair or process occurring in plants

papilla

/ pə-pĭl′ə /

, Plural papillae pə-pĭl′ē

1. A small part projecting from the surface of an organism. In mammals, the nipples of the mammary glands and the taste buds of the tongue are papillae. Papillae are often seen on the undersurfaces of mosses and ferns.

Derived Forms

• paˈpillary, adjective

Other Words From

• pap·il·lar [pap, -, uh, -ler, p, uh, -, pil, -er], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of papilla¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin: nipple, teat, diminutive of papula pimple. See pap ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of papilla¹

C18: from Latin: nipple; related to Latin papula pimple

Example Sentences

Red whirls on this rabbit’s tongue are filiform papillae, which roughen the tongue and help move food around the mouth.

From New York Times

I learned that the bumps were something horrific called “vallate papillae” — a normal part of human anatomy.

From Salon

The AI models were designed to gain a better understanding of individual features of the participant's papillae and to predict the age and gender of each volunteer.

From Science Daily

Copious gooey saliva exuded from barely visible protrusions called papillae can help make some frogs’ tongues so sticky they can snare prey 50% heavier than themselves.

From Science Magazine

“It also has these really interesting spikes on it, or papillae. It looks sort of like the spokes on a bicycle wheel.”

From Los Angeles Times