spiculum
/ˈspɪkjʊləm/ noun
Forms spicula
- noun A thrusting javelin used by Romans that replaced the pilum in the late 3rd century.
- noun A sharp, pointed crystal, especially of ice.
- noun (zoology) A sharp, needle-like structure, especially those making up the skeleton of a sponge.
- noun (astronomy) A small radial emission of gas seen in the chromosphere and corona of the sun.
Synonyms
spicula spicule
Etymology
From Latin spīculum (“a little sharp point”), from spīcum, alternative form of spīca (“point, spike”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun Same as Spicule.
Etymology [L., a little point.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “spiculum”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details