Word of the Day

: October 3, 2013

fimbriated

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adjective FIM-bree-ay-tud

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What It Means

: having the edge or extremity bordered by slender processes : fringed

fimbriated in Context

"While the animal is underwater, a fimbriated tail is adaptive in preventing rolling and tends to stabilize body motion while swimming." - From Joseph F. Merritt's 2010 book The Biology of Small Mammals

"The 2- to 3-foot plant blooms twice a year with pastel flowers with a beautiful fimbriated (fringed) lip." - Bruce Rogers in an interview with the San Jose Mercury News, February 23, 2008

Did You Know?

"Fimbriated" comes from Latin "fimbriatus," meaning "fringed." In English, "fimbriated" can function as a synonym of "fringed," and it is commonly used to describe anatomical features that are bordered by slender processes (prominent or projecting parts of an organism or organic structure). Latin "fimbriatus" is derived from "fimbria" ("fringe"). The plural of "fimbria," "fimbriae," gave rise to Vulgar Latin "frimbia" (notice the alteration of the spelling), which was then adopted by Anglo-French as "frenge." Middle English borrowed "frenge" in the 14th century, and it was this word that evolved into the modern English "fringe."