fovea

[ foh-vee-uh ]

noun

, Biology.

, plural fo·ve·ae [foh, -vee-ee].

1. a small pit or depression in a bone or other structure.

fovea

/ ˈfəʊvɪə /

noun

1. anatomy any small pit or depression in the surface of a bodily organ or part
2. See fovea centralis

Derived Forms

• ˈfoveal, adjective
• ˈfoveate, adjective

Other Words From

• fove·al adjective
• post·fove·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fovea¹

1840–50; < Latin: pit

Word History and Origins

Origin of fovea¹

C19: from Latin: a small pit

Example Sentences

In the retina of an animal's eye, there is a small pit called the fovea that refracts the light entering the eye.

From Science Daily

It was one of the arteries supplying blood to the fovea, the part of the retina providing the clearest vision.

From New York Times

That’s because cones are packed most tightly in the very center of your retina, in a small area called the ‘fovea.’

From Scientific American

Those piercing eyes are much like yours, equipped with 3-D vision and a fovea — a centralized concentration of light receptors — the better to focus and track.

From New York Times

The damage occurs in the fovea, a spot in the retina that is responsible for sharp, central vision.

From Scientific American