Squamules

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small scale or plate, especially one that is part of the outer layer of certain plants or animals
2. Referring to tiny, often overlapping scales found on the skin or surfaces of organisms
3. Describing minute, scaly projections that can serve various functions in nature

Etymology: "Squamules" is the plural of "squamule," a diminutive built from the Latin "squama," meaning scale, the same root behind "squamous," used of scaly skin or surfaces. The "-ule" ending is the Latin diminutive suffix, the same one found in "globule" and "molecule," so a squamule is literally a little scale. Botanists and zoologists use the term for the tiny scales that cover certain plants, fungi, and animals, where a single full-sized scale would be too coarse a description. Because the word is a straightforward combination of a known root and a known suffix, its meaning has stayed close to its Latin sense.

Synonyms: scales, flakes, plates, lamellae, shingles