vil·lus
(vĭl′əs)n. pl. vil·li (vĭl′ī) 1. Biology A minute projection arising from a mucous membrane, especially:
a. One of the numerous vascular projections of the small intestine.
b. One of the fingerlike projections of the chorion that contribute to the formation of the placenta in mammals.
2. Botany A fine, hairlike epidermal outgrowth.
[Latin, shaggy hair.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
villus
(ˈvɪləs) n (
usually plural) ,
pl villi (
ˈvɪlaɪ)
1. (Zoology) zoology anatomy any of the numerous finger-like projections of the mucous membrane lining the small intestine of many vertebrates
2. (Anatomy) zoology anatomy any of the numerous finger-like projections of the mucous membrane lining the small intestine of many vertebrates
3. (Zoology) any similar membranous process, such as any of those in the mammalian placenta
4. (Botany) botany any of various hairlike outgrowths, as from the stem of a moss
[C18: from Latin: shaggy hair]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
vil•lus
(ˈvɪl əs)
n., pl. vil•li (ˈvɪl aɪ) 1. any of the fingerlike projections on the surface of certain membranes, esp. on the mucous membrane of the small intestine, functioning to increase the area for the absorption, secretion, or exchange of materials.
2. any of the long, soft, straight hairs covering the fruit, flowers, and other parts of certain plants.
[1695–1705; < Latin: shaggy hair, thick nap]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
vil·lus
(vĭl′əs) Plural villi (vĭl′ī) A small projection on the surface of a mucous membrane, especially that of the small intestine.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
villus
(pl. villi) A minute fingerlike projection. Huge numbers line the small intestine, vastly increasing its surface area.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited