operculum

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: o=per=cu=lum

CIDE DICTIONARY

operculum, n. [L., a cover or lid, fr. operire to cover.].

•  The lid of a pitcherform leaf.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any lidlike or operculiform process or part; as, the opercula of a dental follicle.  [1913 Webster]
•  The lid closing the aperture of various species of shells, as the common whelk. See Illust. of Gastropoda.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

operculum, n. (pl. opercula)
1 Zool. a a flaplike structure covering the gills in a fish. b a platelike structure closing the aperture of a gastropod mollusc's shell when the organism is retracted. c any of various other parts covering or closing an aperture, such as a flap over the nostrils in some birds.
2 Bot. a lidlike structure of the spore-containing capsule of mosses.

Derivative

opercular adj. operculate adj. operculi- comb. form.

Etymology

L f. operire cover

ROGET THESAURUS

operculum

Covering

N covering, cover, baldachin, baldachino, baldaquin, canopy, tilt, awning, tent, marquee, tente d'abri, umbrella, parasol, sunshade, veil (shade), shield, roof, ceiling, thatch, tile, pantile, pentile, tiling, slates, slating, leads, barrack, plafond, planchment, tiling, shed, top, lid, covercle, door, operculum, bulkhead, bandage, plaster, lint, wrapping, dossil, finger stall, coverlet, counterpane, sheet, quilt, tarpaulin, blanket, rug, drugget, housing, antimacassar, eiderdown, numdah, pillowcase, pillowslip, linoleum, saddle cloth, blanket cloth, tidy, tilpah, apishamore, integument, tegument, skin, pellicle, fleece, fell, fur, leather, shagreen, hide, pelt, peltry, cordwain, derm, robe, buffalo robe, cuticle, scarfskin, epidermis, clothing, mask, peel, crust, bark, rind, cortex, husk, shell, coat, eggshell, glume, capsule, sheath, sheathing, pod, cod, casing, case, theca, elytron, elytrum, involucrum, wrapping, wrapper, envelope, vesicle, corn husk, corn shuck, dermatology, conchology, testaceology, inunction, incrustation, superimposition, superposition, obduction, scale, veneer, facing, overlay, plate, silver plate, gold plate, copper plate, engobe, ormolu, Sheffield plate, pavement, coating, paint, varnish, plating, barrel plating, anointing, enamel, epitaxial deposition, vapor deposition, ground, whitewash, plaster, spackel, stucco, compo, cerement, ointment, covering, superimposed, overlaid, plated, cutaneous, dermal, cortical, cuticular, tegumentary, skinny, scaly, squamous, covered, imbricated, loricated, armor plated, ironclad, under cover, cowled, cucullate, dermatoid, encuirassed, hooded, squamiferous, tectiform, vaginate.