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alveolus

Syllabification: (al·ve·o·lus)
Pronunciation: /alˈvēələs/
Definition of alveolus

noun (plural alveoli /-ˌlī/)

chiefly Anatomy
  • a small cavity, pit, or hollow, in particular.
  • any of the many tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place.
  • the bony socket for the root of a tooth.
  • an acinus in a gland.

Derivatives

alveolate

Pronunciation: /-lit, -ˌlāt/
adjective

Origin:

late 17th century: from Latin, 'small cavity', diminutive of alveus

alveolus in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of alveolus in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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