Shaped like or resembling a sieve, with a pattern of small holes or perforations.
From Latin 'cribrum' (sieve) + '-form' (shaped like). This medical and anatomical term was coined to precisely describe structures that function like sieves, from the actual shape to their filtering function.
The cribriform plate in your nasal cavity is a famous anatomical landmark—it's literally a sieve that separates your brain from your nose and allows smell molecules to reach your olfactory nerves!
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