frenulum

noun

fren·​u·​lum ˈfren-yə-ləm How to pronounce frenulum (audio)
plural frenula ˈfren-yə-lə How to pronounce frenulum (audio)
1
: a connecting fold of membrane serving to support or restrain a part (such as the tongue)
2
: a bristle or group of bristles on the front edge of the posterior wings of some lepidoptera that unites the wings by interlocking with a catch on the posterior part of the forewings

Examples of frenulum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nonetheless, Zaghi advocates for a surgery that cuts through the frenulum and sometimes into the muscle. — Christina Szalinski, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2021 Cutting the frenulum could even make sleep worse, Baldassari says. — Christina Szalinski, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2021

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, diminutive of Latin frenum

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frenulum was circa 1706

Browse Nearby Words

frenular
frenulum
frenum
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Cite this Entry

“Frenulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frenulum. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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Medical Definition

frenulum

noun
fren·​u·​lum ˈfren-yə-ləm How to pronounce frenulum (audio)
plural frenula -lə How to pronounce frenulum (audio)
: a connecting fold of membrane serving to support or restrain a part (as the tongue)
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