Meanings
nounutricle (plural utricles)
plural utricles · alternative utriculus
- A small cell, sac, or bladder-like protuberance in an animal or plant:
- anatomyThe larger of the two fluid-filled cavities forming part of the membranous labyrinth in the vertebrate inner ear (the other being the saccule) and into which the semicircular canals open. It contains hair cells and otoliths which send signals to the brain concerning the orientation of the head.
- abbreviationclippinganatomyClipping of prostatic utricle.
- biologyA dry indehiscent one-seeded fruit with thin membranous pericarp, similar to an achene and found in the beet and dock plants.
Synonyms & antonyms
Narrower
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinūtriculus“a small skin or leathern bottle”
- Frenchutricule
- Englishutricle
Borrowed from French utricule or Latin ūtriculus (“a small skin or leathern bottle”), diminutive of ūter (“a bag or bottle made of an animal's hide”). Doublet of utriculus.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
utricle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/utricle
MLA
“utricle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/utricle. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “utricle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/utricle.
Source: utricle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.