protuberances
|pro/tu/ber/ances|
🇺🇸
/prəˈtuːbərəns/
🇬🇧
/prəˈt(j)uːbərəns/
(protuberance)
protruding swelling
Etymology
'protuberance' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'protuberantia', where 'pro-' meant 'forward' and 'tuber' meant 'lump' or 'swelling'.
'protuberance' changed from Late Latin 'protuberantia' (also attested in Medieval/Medieval Latin usage) and entered English usage in forms that evolved into the modern English word 'protuberance'.
Initially it meant 'a forward swelling or lump', and over time it has retained that core sense of 'something that bulges or projects', while also being applied in specialized fields (anatomy, astronomy).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a thing that protrudes from a surface; a swelling or lump that sticks out.
The old table had several small protuberances along its edge that caught people's sleeves.
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Noun 2
a projecting part of a bone or anatomical structure; a natural bump or prominence on the body.
The X-ray showed pronounced protuberances on the vertebrae near the injury.
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Noun 3
a solar prominence; a large, often loop-shaped outflow or eruption visible on the Sun's limb (in astronomy, called a protuberance or prominence).
During the eclipse, observers noted several bright protuberances around the sun's edge.
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Last updated: 2025/12/14 01:47