Fimbriae

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɪm.bɹi.i/

Definitions

1. Thin, filamentous extensions found on the surfaces of various cells that aid in attachment to surfaces or other cells
2. Delicate, hair-like structures located on some microorganisms and cells that promote adherence and interaction with their surroundings
3. Slender, thread-like projections from cell surfaces that help the cell stick to other cells or structures

Etymology: "Fimbriae" is the plural of "fimbria", a word that English took directly from Latin, where "fimbriae" meant fibres, threads or a fringe. The Latin noun belongs to the same family as "fringe", the two being doublets: the same ancestral word that reached English twice, once through Old French and once as a learned borrowing from Latin. The English word "fringe" came through French, so it has a more worn, everyday feel, while "fimbria" kept the scholarly polish of its Latin form. The Latin sense of a border or edge of threads is what makes the modern meaning intelligible. In biology, "fimbria" was applied to any structure that looks like a fringe of fine filaments, and the plural form is the one most often used. Its hairlike projections on the bacterial cell surface are the thread-like extensions that give the cell its fringed appearance, which is why the Latin image of a fringe still fits.