somite

[ soh-mahyt ]

noun

1. any of the longitudinal series of segments or parts into which the body of certain animals is divided; a metamere.
2. Embryology. one member of a series of paired segments into which the thickened dorsal zone of mesoderm is divided.

somite

/ səʊˈmɪtɪk; ˈsəʊmaɪt; ˈsəʊmɪtəl /

noun

1. embryol any of a series of dorsal paired segments of mesoderm occurring along the notochord in vertebrate embryos. It develops into muscle and bone in the adult animal
2. zoology another name for metamere

Derived Forms

• somital, adjective

Other Words From

• so·mi·tal [soh, -mi-tl], so·mit·ic [soh-, mit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of somite¹

First recorded in 1865–70; som(a) ¹ + -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of somite¹

C19: from Greek sōma a body

Example Sentences

Some believe that the vertebrate head has developed as a result of modification of the segmental elements of the trunk, such as the vertebrae and somites.

From Science Daily

Together, the current studies provide a remarkable demonstration that simple iPSC culture systems can be used for in-depth analysis of the oscillatory gene expression associated with somite segmentation at single-cell resolution.

From Nature

Non-somite mesoderm treated with Noggin generates many somites that form simultaneously, without cyclic expression of Notch-pathway genes, yet have normal size, shape, and fate.

From Science Magazine

Besides the five limb-bearing somites just enumerated, two others must now be recognized in the head.

From Project Gutenberg

The “growing point” of the trunk is, in fact, situated in front of this region, and, when the full number of somites has been reached, the unsegmented part remaining forms the telson of the adult.

From Project Gutenberg