glomerulus
noun
glo·mer·u·lus glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ləs 
glō-
plural glomeruli glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ˌlī -ˌlē
-ˌlē glō-
: a small convoluted or intertwined mass
especially : a tuft of capillaries at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron that passes a protein-free filtrate to the surrounding Bowman's capsule
Word History
Etymology
New Latin, glomerulus, glomerule, diminutive of Latin glomer-, glomus ball; akin to Latin globus globe
First Known Use
1856, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
glomerulus
noun
glo·mer·u·lus glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ləs, glō-
plural glomeruli -ˌlī -ˌlē
-ˌlē : a small convoluted or intertwined mass (as of organisms, nerve fibers, or capillaries): as
a
: a tuft of capillaries that is covered by epithelium, is situated at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron, and normally passes a protein-free filtrate from the blood to the surrounding Bowman's capsule see renal corpuscle
b
: the convoluted secretory part of a sweat gland
c
: a dense entanglement of nerve fibers situated in the olfactory bulb and containing the primary synapses of the olfactory pathway
called also olfactory glomerulus