First Known Use: 1681
Dictionary
operculum
noun oper·cu·lum \ō-ˈpər-kyə-ləm\
plural oper·cu·la\-lə\ also oper·cu·lums
Definition of OPERCULUM
1
: a body process or part that suggests a lid: as a : a horny or shelly plate on the posterior dorsal surface of the foot in many gastropod mollusks that closes the shell when the animal is retracted b : the covering of the gills of a fish — see fish illustration
2
: a lid or covering flap (as of a moss capsule)
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Origin of OPERCULUM
New Latin, from Latin, cover, from operire to shut, cover
Medical Dictionary
operculum
noun oper·cu·lum \ō-ˈpər-kyə-ləm\
plural oper·cu·la \-lə\ also oper·cu·lums
Medical Definition of OPERCULUM
: any of several parts of the cerebrum bordering the sylvian fissure and concealing the insula
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