Stomas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Anatomical openings that allow for the exchange of gases or fluids in living organisms
2. Structures in botany that facilitate gas exchange through the epidermis of leaves and stems
3. Specialized pores or apertures in various organisms serving essential respiratory or physiological functions

Etymology: "Stomas" is simply the plural of "stoma," which has a surprisingly literal origin: the Ancient Greek "stóma" meant "mouth," and the word came into English from New Latin, the scientific Latin used by early modern naturalists. The term was taken over for the tiny openings in a leaf or stem that let gases pass in and out, which look rather like miniature mouths. The plural "stomas" follows the familiar English pattern of adding an "s," so the word is treated as a regular noun, though the Greek and Latin "-ma" ending once marked it as a neuter noun. Biologists tend to call these openings "stomata" when using the Greek-style plural, and both forms are seen in print.

Synonyms: pores, openings, apertures

Antonyms: closures, blockages, sealings