Fungiform

/ˈfʌndʒɪfɔːrm/ adjective

Definition

Shaped like a mushroom or fungus; having a rounded top on a narrow stem.

Etymology

From Latin fungus + -form (shaped like), a direct descriptive term for mushroom-shaped structures. It appeared in anatomical and botanical texts from the 16th century onward to describe fungus-like morphology.

Kelly Says

Your tongue has fungiform papillae—the mushroom-shaped bumps that contain your taste buds—and they're named because 16th-century anatomists thought they looked exactly like tiny toadstools.

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