columella

[ kol-yuh-mel-uh ]

noun

, Biology.

, plural col·u·mel·lae [kol-y, uh, -, mel, -ee].

1. 1. any of various small, columnlike structures of animals or plants; rod or axis.
   2. Mycology. a small central column of sterile tissue within the sporangium of certain fungi, liverworts, and mosses.
2. a small bone in the ear of amphibians, reptiles, and birds.

columella

/ ˌkɒljʊˈmɛlə /

noun

1. biology
   1. the central part of the spore-producing body of some fungi and mosses
   2. any similar columnar structure
2. Also calledcolumella aurisˈɔːrɪs a small rodlike bone in the middle ear of frogs, reptiles, and birds that transmits sound to the inner ear: homologous to the mammalian stapes

Derived Forms

• ˌcoluˈmellar, adjective

Other Words From

• colu·mellar adjective
• col·u·mel·late [kol-y, uh, -, mel, -it, -eyt], adjective
• postcol·u·mellar adjective
• pseudo·colu·mellar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of columella¹

1575–85; < Latin: small column, equivalent to colum- (variant of column-, stem of columna column ) + -ella -elle

Word History and Origins

Origin of columella¹

C16: from Latin: diminutive of columna column

Example Sentences

A. effusa may be distinguished from all others by the columella being nearly obsolete; this part existing only in the two terminal whorls of the spire.

From Project Gutenberg

A. Shell cinereous-white, with two narrow brown bands, spire elongated, straight; volutions seven, slightly ventricose, inner lip rosy, base of the columella straight, entire, aperture ovate-oblong.

From Project Gutenberg

Thallus without epidermis; capsule with a columella, short-pedicelled or sessile on the thallus.

From Project Gutenberg

The delicate, spindle-shaped columellae lie ventral to the tegmen tympani and squamosals, are spatulate distally, and have a broad basal attachment to the auditory region.

From Project Gutenberg

It is the cartilagenous part of the columella that connects with the external sound detecting mechanism.

From Project Gutenberg