Aciculate

/ə'sɪkjələt/ adjective

Definition

Shaped like a needle or having a pointed, needle-like form; characterized by slender, sharp projections.

Etymology

From Latin 'aciculum' (small needle) + '-ate' (adjective suffix). Developed in biological taxonomy during the 18th-19th centuries to describe morphological features of organisms and structures.

Kelly Says

Aciculate is how botanists and biologists describe anything needle-shaped—from certain crystal formations to fish spines to plant leaves. It's a precise way to say 'pointy and thin' that saves them from writing paragraphs of description!

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