basipterygium

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noun

A cartilage at the base of the fins of some fish that develops into the metapterygium upon maturity.

OriginEnglish pterygium ← Latin basis ← Ancient Greek βᾰ́σῐς (bắsĭs) →
Scrabble 23
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Meanings

nounbasipterygium (plural basipterygia)

plural basipterygia

  1. A cartilage at the base of the fins of some fish that develops into the metapterygium upon maturity.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷem-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*gʷémtis
  3. Proto-Hellenic*gʷə́tis
  4. Ancient Greekβᾰ́σῐς (bắsĭs)
  5. Latinbasis
  6. Englishbasi-
  7. Englishpterygium
  8. Englishbasipterygium

From basi- + pterygium.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

basipterygium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/basipterygium

MLA

“basipterygium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/basipterygium. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “basipterygium,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/basipterygium.

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