a thickened saddle-like region of epidermis in earthworms and leeches whose secretions bind copulating worms together and later form a cocoon around the eggs
Word origin
C19: from New Latin, from Latin clītellae (plural) packsaddle
clitellum in American English
(klaiˈteləm)
nounWord forms: plural-tella (-ˈtelə)
a ring or saddle-shaped region of glandular tissue in the body wall of certain annelids, as earthworms and some leeches, that after copulation secretes a cocoon in which the eggs and sperm are deposited for fertilization and development
Word origin
[1830–40; ‹ NL, neut. n. based on L clītellae packsaddle]This word is first recorded in the period 1830–40. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: format, isometric, nationalism, paraffin, showcase