utricle

[ yoo-tri-kuhl ]

noun

1. a small sac or baglike body, as an air-filled cavity in a seaweed.
2. Botany. a thin bladderlike pericarp or seed vessel.
3. Anatomy. the larger of two sacs in the membranous labyrinth of the internal ear. Compare saccule ( def 1 ).

utricle

/ juːˈtrɪkjʊləs; ˈjuːtrɪkəl /

noun

1. anatomy the larger of the two parts of the membranous labyrinth of the internal ear Compare saccule
2. botany the bladder-like one-seeded indehiscent fruit of certain plants, esp sedges

Derived Forms

• uˈtricular, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of utricle¹

1725–35; < Latin utriculus, diminutive of uter bag; -cle ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of utricle¹

C18: from Latin ūtriculus diminutive of ūter bag

Example Sentences

In the latter case, it forms an inner cell to the cell-wall, and is called the primordial utricle.

From Project Gutenberg

The terms protoplasm and primordial utricle are, however, used by some authors synonymously.

From Project Gutenberg

The fruit is a membranous one-seeded utricle often enclosed by the persistent calyx.

From Project Gutenberg

Fruit a perfectly or incompletely 3-celled many-seeded capsule, or a 1-celled 1-seeded utricle.

From Project Gutenberg

Utricle bursting irregularly, enclosing an oblong longitudinally ribbed seed (or nutlet).

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bacterium
• egg
• germ
• unit