uneven-gilled
|un-e-ven-gilled|
/ʌnˈiːvən-ɡɪld/
gills unequal
Etymology
'uneven-gilled' is a compound formed from 'uneven' and 'gilled'. 'Uneven' comes from Old English elements: the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'even' from Old English 'efen' meaning 'level' or 'equal'; 'gill' (in the sense of a slit or lamella) derives from Old Norse 'gil' (originally 'ravine' or 'cleft'), applied metaphorically to thin, plate-like folds.
'uneven-gilled' developed in modern English through compounding: the adjective 'uneven' + the past-participial-form-derived adjective 'gilled' (from Middle English 'gille'/'gill' via Old Norse roots). The compound became established in technical mycological usage in recent centuries to describe lamellae that are not uniform.
The component words originally meant 'not level/equal' and 'ravine/cleft' respectively; together they evolved into the specialized descriptive term meaning 'having nonuniform gills' used in biology/mycology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or condition of having uneven gills; the state of being uneven-gilled (derived noun).
Uneven-gilledness is a diagnostic feature for distinguishing some genera of agarics.
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Antonyms
Adjective 1
having gills (lamellae) of unequal length, spacing, or arrangement; used especially in mycology to describe mushrooms whose gills are irregular.
The field guide noted several uneven-gilled species that can be confused with similar even-gilled mushrooms.
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Last updated: 2025/12/05 10:04