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spicule

[ spik-yool ]

noun

  1. a small or minute, slender, sharp-pointed body or part; a small, needlelike crystal, process, or the like.
  2. Zoology. one of the small, hard, calcareous or siliceous bodies that serve as the skeletal elements of various marine and freshwater invertebrates.
  3. Astronomy. a jet of gas several hundred miles in diameter rising from the sun's surface to heights of 3,000 to 6,000 miles (4,800 to 9,600 km).


spicule

/ ˈspɪkjuːl; -lɪt; ˈspɪkjʊˌleɪt /

noun

  1. Also calledspiculum a small slender pointed structure or crystal, esp any of the calcareous or siliceous elements of the skeleton of sponges, corals, etc
  2. astronomy a spiked ejection of hot gas occurring over 5000 kilometres above the sun's surface (in its atmosphere) and having a diameter of about 1000 kilometres
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


spicule

/ spĭkyo̅o̅l /

  1. A needlelike structure or part, such as one of the mineral structures supporting the soft tissue of certain invertebrates, especially sponges.
  2. Any of numerous short-lived vertical jets of hot gas rising from the solar chromosphere and extending into the corona. Spicules, which only last for about five to ten minutes, are usually several hundred kilometers wide and several thousand kilometers high.


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Derived Forms

  • spiculate, adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of spicule1

First recorded in 1775–85; from Latin spīculum “spearhead, arrowhead, bee stinger,” equivalent to spīc(a) “ear of grain” + -ulum diminutive suffix; spica, -ule
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Word History and Origins

Origin of spicule1

C18: from Latin: spiculum
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Example Sentences

Skeptics point to the lack of mineralized skeletal parts, known as spicules, that are typical features of sea sponges, and the fact that many non­animal organisms can make similar tubes.

Although some sponges have an internal skeleton made of microscopic mineralized rods called spicules, no convincing spicules have been found in rocks dating from the interval of hidden early animal evolution.

Turner argues that many modern sponges don’t have spicules and that the newly described fossils may be similar.

The spores soon become free, but the spicule often still adheres to them; but they are not attached to the intermingled filaments.

Spiraster, spī-ras′tėr, n. in sponges, a short curved axial rod-like spicule with thick spines.

Spic′ūlum, a spicule; Spike′bill, a merganser, a sawbill: the marbled godwit.

The contents may be clear yellow serum or watery pus; sometimes a small spicule of bone is discharged.

The spicule thus resembles a little trumpet resting on its mouth.

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