acicula

noun

acic·​u·​la
ə-ˈsi-kyə-lə
plural aciculae
ə-ˈsi-kyə-ˌlē,
-ˌlī
 or aciculas
: a needlelike spine, bristle, or crystal

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, going back to Late Latin acicula, acucula "small needle, small pin for a headdress,", from Latin acu-, stem of acus "needle" (going back to Indo-European *h2eḱ-u- "pointed") + -cula, diminutive suffix

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of acicula was in 1784

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Dictionary Entries Near acicula

aci-

acicula

acicular

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Acicula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acicula. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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