ligula

L1I1G2U1L1A1
/ˈlɪɡ.jʊ.lə/

noun

A strap or strap-shaped object, especially such a development in plants or insects.

OriginLatin ligula →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

nounligula (plural ligulas or ligulae)

plural ligulas · plural ligulae

  1. A strap or strap-shaped object, especially such a development in plants or insects.

    He unhasped the ligulae of his haversack, taking out a pair of blue jeans which he tossed to Bruno.

    1974, Guy Davenport, Tatlin!

Origin

  1. Latinligula“strap, spoon”
  2. Englishligula

From Latin ligula (“strap, spoon”), a variant of lingula (“small tongue-shaped object”), itself partly derived from lingō (“lick”) and partly a diminutive of lingua (“tongue”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Russian язычо́к
  • язычо́к (jazyčók)strap or strap-shaped object, especially in plants or insects
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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