Meanings
nounprosoma (plural prosomas or prosomata)
plural prosomas · plural prosomata
- biologyThe front segment of a body which is divided into two or more segments, especially the cephalothorax of an arachnid or crustacean.
The front part, called the cephalothorax (or prosoma), is enclosed within a relatively hard and unyielding chitinous shell.
1996, Michael J. Roberts, Spiders of Britain and Northern Europe, Collins, published 1996, page 12
Origin
- Ancient Greekσῶμα“body”
- Englishprosoma
From pro- (“front”) + soma (“body”), from Ancient Greek σῶμα (sôma, “body”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
prosoma. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prosoma
MLA
“prosoma.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prosoma. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prosoma,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prosoma.
Source: prosoma on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.