retinaculum

noun — 5 senses

retinaculum

noun

/ˌrɛtɪˈnækjʊləm/

Etymology From Latin retināculum, from retinēre (“hold back”).

1

Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences A connecting band.

  • the retinacula of the ileocaecal and ileocolic valves
2

Anatomy, Medicine, Sciences One of the annular ligaments which hold the tendons close to the bones at the larger joints, as at the wrist and ankle.

3

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology One of the retractor muscles of the proboscis of certain worms.

4

Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology A loop on the underside of the forewing of some moths.

5

Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A small gland or process to which bodies are attached; as, the glandular retinacula to which the pollinia of orchids are attached, or the hooks which support the seeds in many acanthaceous plants.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.