a disc of calcium phosphate and mucilage secreted by snails over the aperture of their shells before hibernation
Word origin
C19: via New Latin from Greek epiphragma a lid, from epiphrassein, from epi- + phrassein to place in an enclosure
epiphragm in American English
(ˈepəˌfræm)
noun
1.
a calcified or membranous septum produced by certain land snails during hibernation and functioning to cover the shellopening and prevent desiccation
2. Botany
a membrane enclosing the capsule in certain mosses
Derived forms
epiphragmal (ˌepəˈfræɡməl)
adjective
Word origin
[1820–30; ‹ Gk epíphragma covering, lid, equiv. to epi-epi- + phrágma fence]This word is first recorded in the period 1820–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: acetate, blouse, karma, myth, phoneticepi- is a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “upon,” “on,” “over,”“near,” “at,” “before,” “after” (epicedium; epidermis; epigene; epitome). On this model, epi- is used in the formation of new compound words (epicardium; epinephrine)