Bronchioli

/brɒŋˈkiːoʊlaɪ/ noun

Definition

Plural of bronchiole in Latin or medical terminology; the smallest airways of the lungs.

Etymology

Latin plural form of bronchiole. Medical terminology often preserves Latin plurals, so bronchioli is the formal plural rather than bronchioles.

Kelly Says

Medical textbooks from the 1800s used 'bronchioli' because anatomy was traditionally taught in Latin—nowadays doctors mix both 'bronchioli' and 'bronchioles,' but Latin plurals still sound more prestigious in formal papers!

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