/ˈspɪkjʊliː/.spiculan.
/ˈspɪkjʊlə//ˈspɪkjʊliː/. 1.
a. A sharp-pointed or acicular crystal or similar formation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > crystallography (general) > crystal (general) > crystal habit > [noun] > needle
needle1676
spiculum1746
spicula1747
needle-tin1882
1747 tr. J. Astruc Academical Lect. Fevers 83 Whose stomach is lined with a sort of pituita, whereby the spiculæ of this poison are blunted.
1794 R. J. Sulivan View of Nature I. 426 We have..only to suppose, the particles which are employed in crystallization, to be endowed with a tendency to form spiculæ; and these spiculæ with a tendency to arrange themselves at equal angles of inclination.
1802 J. Playfair Illustr. Huttonian Theory 85 Where there is any admixture of that substance [sc. felspar], whether in slender spiculæ or in larger masses.
1825 M. Faraday Exper. Res. xxx. 167 A substance comes over in small quantity,..crystallizing in spiculæ in the receiver.
b. esp. A formation of this nature caused by the action of frost.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > cold weather > [noun] > freezing or frosty weather > frost > formations > specific
spicula1783
feather1785
frost-flower1802
frost-fern1860
1783 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 73 310 On dropping in a bit of ice,..spiculæ of ice shoot suddenly through the water.
1792 J. Belknap Hist. New-Hampsh. III. 20 The spiculæ [of hoar frost] were of all lengths, from an inch downward.
1854 D. Brewster More Worlds iii. 54 The frozen moisture may fall in spiculæ or crystals of ice.
1888 Athenæum 6 Oct. 451/3 It was argued that the vapour was changed into ice, and that the higher atmosphere was charged with spiculæ.
2.
a. A small sharp-pointed process on some part of a plant or animal; a prickle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > thorn or prickle > [noun]
thornc950
pileOE
prickOE
pikec1300
spine1430
pricklec1484
brodc1550
sting1567
point1604
spears1607
stob1637
pin1650
pricket1663
spinet1672
aculeus1702
pricker1743
spicula1753
acicula1784
acicule1800
acicle1852
thornlet1882
sticker1889
the world > life > biology > physical aspects or shapes > projection or protuberance > [noun] > pointed projection
tongue1398
jag1578
mucro1646
spur1681
rostruma1728
spicula1753
spikelet1851
lingula1856
mucronation1862
cusp1879
mucronule1890
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. at Spider They all have weapons issuing out of the mouth... They consist, in some, of two spiculæ, in the manner of a forked hook.
1792 J. Belknap Hist. New-Hampsh. III. 125 It [the prickly ash] is armed with spiculæ, like the locust.
1800 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 90 370 The spiculæ on the shark's skin were also separated.
1815 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. I. iv. 115 Others are barbed like the spicula of a bee's sting.
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. 1082/2 Spicula, a fine fleshy erect point.
b. In fungi: = spicule n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > fungi > [noun] > parts of > reproductive parts
capsule1693
perithecium1800
aecidium1821
hymenium1830
pseudoperidium1832
pseudoperithecium1832
disc1842
trichidium1842
spicule1843
sporophore1849
stylospore1851
pycnide1856
cyst1857
pycnidium1857
basidium1858
cystidium1858
basidiospore1859
conidium1861
pollinarium1861
gonosphere1865
hymenophorum1866
spicula1866
teleutospore1866
promycelium1867
gonosphaerium1873
hymenophore1874
paracyst1874
sterigma1874
pollinodium1875
scolecite1875
uredospore1875
metuloid1879
operculum1879
uredo1879
aecidiospore1880
pycnidiospore1880
uredo-fruit1882
chlamydospore1884
teleutosorus1884
fruitcake1885
ascocarp1887
periplasm1887
pycnospore1887
pyrenocarp1887
macrostylospore1894
autobasidium1895
oidium1895
zygophore1904
aeciospore1905
aecium1905
pycniospore1905
teliospore1905
telium1905
uredinium1905
uredosorus1905
fruit-body1912
sporodochium1913
probasidium1916
fruiting body1918
pycnium1926
holobasidium1928
protoperithecium1937
uredium1937
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. 1082/2.
3. Botany. A floral spikelet. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > flower or part containing reproductive organs > inflorescence or collective flower > [noun] > of particular type, shape, or arrangement > spike
spike1578
torch1578
spica1693
spicula1760
spicule1785
spire1850
1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. iii. xxii. 222 Spicula, a little Spike.
1793 T. Martyn Lang. Bot. sig. S4 Spicula, a Spicule or Spikelet. A partial spike, or a subdivision of it: as in some Grasses.
1830 J. Lindley Introd. Nat. Syst. Bot. 293 In certain genera with a simple spike..this is clearly proved by the structure of the terminal flower or spicula.
4. A slender pointed fragment of bone, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > structural parts > bone or bones > parts of bones > [noun] > slender, pointed fragment
spicula1835
1835–6 Todd's Cycl. Anat. & Physiol. I. 237/1 A spicula of a fractured bone.
1870 H. Lonsdale Life R. Knox xii. 249 My finger was caught by a sharp spicula of bone.
5. = spiculum n. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Parazoa > phylum Porifera > [noun] > member of > parts of > sponge spicule
spiculum1842
spicula1845
spicule1846
needle1870
1845 P. H. Gosse Ocean (1849) i. 53 In the substance of many species [of sponge]..are found spiculæ, or needle-like crystals, of pure flint.
1859 R. Hunt Guide Mus. Pract. Geol. (ed. 2) 252 Silicious spiculæ or the minute bones of sponges.
Compounds
spicula-forceps n. (see quot. 1875).
ΚΠ
1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. III. 2265/2 Spicula-forceps, a dentist's long-nosed forceps for removing small fragments of bone, etc.
spicula-like adj.
ΚΠ
1857 J. D. Dana Min. (1862) 124 The fine spicula-like crystalline grains of Epsom salt.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1747