ligula

American  

[lig-yuh-luh] / ˈlɪg yə lə /

noun

plural

ligulae, ligulas

1. Botany, Zoology. a tonguelike or strap-shaped part or organ.

2. Botany. ligule.

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ligula British  

/ ˈlɪɡjʊlə /

noun

1. entomol the terminal part of the labium of an insect consisting of paired lobes

2. a variant spelling of ligule

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Other Word Forms

• ligular adjective
• liguloid adjective

Etymology

Origin of ligula

1750–60; < New Latin, special use of Latin li ( n ) gula spoon, shoe-strap, equivalent to lig-, variant stem of lingere to lick + -ula -ule

Example Sentences

Aliquam id risus non ligula rhoncus semper sit amet non erat.

From Forbes • Apr. 23, 2015

Aliquam volutpat, magna ut commodo varius, purus ligula fringilla enim, quis semper orci risus quis augue.

From Forbes • Apr. 23, 2015

Glossa: the inner lobe of second maxilla, corresponding to the lacing of first maxilla: loosely used as a synonym for tongue: especially applied to the coiled structure of the Lepidoptera; see also ligula.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.

Another pair of scales had two cups, with a weight on the side opposite to the material weighed, to mark more accurately the fractional weight; this weight was called by the ancients ligula, and examen.

From Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life by Haines, T. L. (Thomas Louis)

Lingula: in Aleurodidae, a more or less slender tongue or strap-shaped organ, attached cephalad within the vasiform orifice: a term proposed by Leuckart for the ligula of the bees.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.