septa
|sep-ta|
/ˈsɛptə/
(septum)
dividing wall
Etymology
'septa' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'septum', where the root 'sept-' referred to an enclosure or partition.
'septa' comes from Latin 'septum' (plural 'septa'); the term was adopted into New/modern scientific English usage (19th century onward) to refer to internal partitions in anatomy, botany, and related fields.
Initially it referred to a 'fence' or 'enclosure' in Latin; over time it came to mean an internal 'dividing wall' or partition within organisms or structures in modern scientific usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'septum': internal dividing walls or partitions in an organism (e.g., nasal septa, cardiac septa).
The surgeon repaired the damaged septa in the patient's heart.
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Noun 2
plural of 'septum' used in botany: partitions that divide chambers (locules) within fruits, seed pods, or floral structures.
The fruit's septa separate the seeds into distinct chambers.
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Noun 3
plural of 'septum' in mycology/zoology: cross-walls (septa) in fungal hyphae or in the anatomy of some invertebrates that compartmentalize cells or tissues.
Many fungi have septa in their hyphae that compartmentalize the cells.
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Last updated: 2025/11/13 05:18