pulvinus

pul·vi·nus
P3U1L1V4I1N1U1S1
/pʌlˈvaɪnəs//pəlˈvaɪnəs/

noun

A joint on a plant leaf or petiole that may swell and cause movement of the leaf or leaflet.

OriginLatin pulvīnus →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounpulvinus (plural pulvinae or pulvini)

plural pulvinae · plural pulvini

  1. biologyA joint on a plant leaf or petiole that may swell and cause movement of the leaf or leaflet.

Origin

  1. Latinpulvīnus“cushion, pillow, bolster”
  2. Englishpulvinus

Learned borrowing from Latin pulvīnus (“cushion, pillow, bolster”). Doublet of pillow, polverine, pulvino, pulvillus, and pulvinulus, as well as others.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish poduszeczka liściowa
  • poduszeczka liściowajoint on a plant leaf or petiole

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with pulvinus

minusLinussinusdrynesshighnessshynessminosvinousValentinusawrynessechinusextrasinusintrasinusNew Minasnonsinusparasinusslynesssprynessuncinusvenosinusvenous sinuswryness
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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