biforine

B3I1F4O1R1I1N1E1

noun

An oval sac or cell, found in the idioblasts of the leaves of certain araceous plants, with an opening at each end through which raphides, generated inside, are emitted.

OriginLatin biforis →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounbiforine (plural biforines)

plural biforines

  1. biologyAn oval sac or cell, found in the idioblasts of the leaves of certain araceous plants, with an opening at each end through which raphides, generated inside, are emitted.

    The true biforines when separated from the other tissues in water, rapidly discharge the crystals from one or both ends of the cells, and often with such force as to drive the cells backwards like a rocket[…]

    1871, The American Naturalist: Volume 5, page 336

Origin

  1. Latinbiforis
  2. Englishbiforine

From Latin biforis, biforus (“having two doors”), from bis (“twice”) + foris (“door”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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