uncarinate
|un-car-i-nate|
/ʌnˈkærɪnət/
without a keel / not keeled
Etymology
'uncarinate' originates from the English negative prefix 'un-' (from Old English 'un-') combined with 'carinate', which traces to Latin 'carina' meaning 'keel'.
'carina' in Latin gave rise to Medieval/Scientific Latin 'carinatus' ('keeled'), which entered English as 'carinate' meaning 'having a keel'; the Modern English adjective 'uncarinate' was formed by adding the prefix 'un-' to 'carinate'.
Initially the root concept (from Latin 'carina') referred to a 'keel' (a ridge); over time 'carinate' came to mean 'having a keel', and 'uncarinate' has consistently meant 'not having a keel' (the basic meaning has been retained).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not carinate; lacking a keel or central longitudinal ridge. Used chiefly in zoology and botany to describe structures (e.g., petals, shells, sterna) that do not have a keel (carina).
The flower's petals are uncarinate, lacking the typical keel found in related species.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/09 08:10