squama

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noun

A scale cast off from the skin; a thin dry shred of epithelium.

OriginLatin squāma →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounsquama (plural squamae or squamas)

plural squamae · plural squamas

  1. medicineA scale cast off from the skin; a thin dry shred of epithelium.
  2. biologyThe bract of a deciduous spike.
  3. biologyAny scaly bracted leaf.
  4. biologyA calypter.

Origin

  1. Latinsquāma“scale”
  2. Englishsquama

Borrowed from Latin squāma (“scale”). Doublet of squame.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

squama. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/squama

MLA

“squama.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/squama. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “squama,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/squama.

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