Foveole

/ˈfoʊviːoʊl/ noun

Definition

A variant or archaic spelling of foveola; a small pit, dimple, or depression in a surface or anatomical structure.

Etymology

A French-influenced variant of 'foveola' used in older English scientific texts, showing how terminology from different European languages entered English scientific vocabulary at different times.

Kelly Says

Old scientific texts are delightfully inconsistent—one author writes 'foveole,' another 'foveola,' and a third 'foveolae,' all meaning the same thing, which is why modern science standardized terminology.

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