raphe
Pronunciation: /ˈreɪfi/
noun ( plural raphae /ˈreɪfiː/)
Anatomy & Biology- a groove, ridge, or seam in an organ or tissue, typically marking the line where two halves fused in the embryo, in particular:
- the connecting ridge between the two halves of the medulla oblongata or the tegmentum of the midbrain.
- Botany a longitudinal ridge on the side of certain ovules or seeds.
- Botany a longitudinal groove in the valve of many diatoms.
Origin:
mid 18th century: modern Latin, from Greek rhaphē 'seam'