pinnule
|pin-nule|
/ˈpɪn.juːl/
small feather‑like division or leaflet
Etymology
'pinnule' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'pinnula,' a diminutive of 'pinna' meaning 'feather' or 'wing' (so 'pinnula' meant 'little feather').
'pinnule' entered English via New Latin/late Latin usage of 'pinnula' (diminutive of 'pinna') and was adopted into botanical and zoological terminology in modern English with little change to form.
Initially it meant 'little feather' (the diminutive sense of 'pinna'); over time it came to mean 'a small feather‑like division or leaflet' in botanical and zoological contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small leaflet or ultimate subdivision of a pinnate leaf, especially the smallest division of a fern frond (a tiny segment of a compound leaf).
Each pinnule of the fern bore a row of sori along its underside.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/10 23:25