reticulum

noun

re·​tic·​u·​lum ri-ˈti-kyə-ləm How to pronounce reticulum (audio)
plural reticula ri-ˈti-kyə-lə How to pronounce reticulum (audio) also reticulums
1
: the second compartment of the stomach of a ruminant in which folds of the mucous membrane form hexagonal cells compare abomasum, omasum, rumen
2
: a reticulate structure : network

Examples of reticulum 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.
Craig McClain at Deep Sea News dug through the literature and found a 1988 paper describing just such a jellyfish, calling it Deepstaria reticulum. —Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2012 Around that time, perhaps influenced by the predominant metaphor, German anatomist Joseph von Gerlach looked at nervous tissue through his microscope and saw the tangle of fibers—a reticulum. —Benjamin Ehrlich, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, small net

First Known Use

circa 1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reticulum was circa 1658

Phrases Containing reticulum

Dictionary Entries Near reticulum

reticulose

reticulum

retie

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Reticulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reticulum. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Medical Definition

reticulum

noun
re·​tic·​u·​lum ri-ˈtik-yə-ləm How to pronounce reticulum (audio)
plural reticula -lə How to pronounce reticulum (audio)
1
: the second compartment of the stomach of a ruminant in which folds of the mucous membrane form hexagonal cells

called also honeycomb

compare abomasum, omasum, rumen
2
: a reticular structure : network: as
a
: the network of interstitial tissue composed of reticular fibers

called also reticular tissue

b
: the network often visible in fixed protoplasm both of the cell body and the nucleus of many cells

More from Merriam-Webster on reticulum

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reticulum

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