Acanthon

/əˈkænθɑːn/ noun

Definition

A sharp point or spine; in anatomy, a projection or pointed structure on a bone or organism.

Etymology

From Greek 'akantha' (spine, thorn, prickle), directly borrowed as a singular anatomical term for a sharp projection.

Kelly Says

Anatomists borrowed this Greek word directly because it perfectly captured the idea of a sharp point—it's still used today to describe small spiky projections on bones!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.