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

Gesner quotes the words of Columella, and adds, that he found these mules in Grenoble, and which are called in French jumars.

From Project Gutenberg

As an amusing contrast to this well drawn picture, I give an extract from the work of that ancient agriculturist Columella.

From Project Gutenberg

In others the spiral winds round a solid central pillar which is spoken of as the columella.

From Project Gutenberg

The villa, as described by Varro and Columella, before and shortly after the Christian era, was a farma jundus.

From Project Gutenberg

In reptiles the upper segment of the second arch formed, as in birds, the columella.

From Project Gutenberg