tapetum lucidum

noun

A layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals, immediately behind or sometimes within the retina, that reflects visible light so as to increase the light available to the photoreceptors.

OriginLatin tapētum →
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Meanings

nountapetum lucidum (plural tapeta lucida)

plural tapeta lucida

  1. A layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals, immediately behind or sometimes within the retina, that reflects visible light so as to increase the light available to the photoreceptors.

Origin

  1. Latintapētum“tapestry”
  2. Englishtapetum lucidum

From Latin tapētum (“tapestry”) and lūcidum (“bright, shining, clear”), the neuter of lūcidus, literally "bright tapestry".

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

tapetum lucidum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tapetum%20lucidum

MLA

“tapetum lucidum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tapetum%20lucidum. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tapetum lucidum,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tapetum%20lucidum.

Source: tapetum lucidum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.