Dictionary

raphide

noun raph·ide \ˈra-ˌfīd\
plural raph·ides \ˈra-ˌfīdz, ˈra-fə-ˌdēz\

Definition of RAPHIDE

:  any of the needle-shaped crystals usually of calcium oxalate that develop as metabolic by-products in plant cells
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Origin of RAPHIDE

French & New Latin; French raphide, from New Latin raphides, plural, from Greek rhaphides, plural of rhaphid-, rhaphis needle, from rhaptein
First Known Use: circa 1842

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