villus

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: vil=lus

CIDE DICTIONARY

villus, n. [L., shaggy hair, a tuft of hair.].

•  One of the minute papillary processes on certain vascular membranes; a villosity; as, villi cover the lining of the small intestines of many animals and serve to increase the absorbing surface.  [1913 Webster]
•  Fine hairs on plants, resembling the pile of velvet.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

villus, n. (pl. villi)
1 Anat. each of the short finger-like processes on some membranes, esp. on the mucous membrane of the small intestine.
2 Bot. (in pl.) long soft hairs covering fruit, flowers, etc.

Derivative

villiform adj. villose adj. villosity n. villous adj.

Etymology

L, = shaggy hair