areole

A1R1E1O1L1E1
/ˈæɹ.i.oʊl/

noun

Any of the smallest enclosures created by the veins of a leaf.

OriginFrench aréole ← Latin areola →
Scrabble 6
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounareole (plural areoles)

plural areoles

  1. biologyAny of the smallest enclosures created by the veins of a leaf.
  2. biologyA bump on a cactus out of which grow clusters of spines.
  3. biologyA tessellation in the thallus of certain lichens.
  4. anatomyAn areola.

Origin

  1. Latinareola
  2. Frencharéole
  3. Englishareole

Borrowed from French aréole, from Latin areola: a small area. Doublet of areola.

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Lithuanian areolė
  • areolėbump on a cactus out of which grow clusters of spines
Portuguese aréola
  • aréolabump on a cactus out of which grow clusters of spines
Cite this entry
APA

areole. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/areole

MLA

“areole.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/areole. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “areole,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/areole.

Source: areole on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.