lunule
lu·nule
lunule · lunules
Anything crescent-shapedAnything crescent-shaped; a crescent-shaped part or mark; a lunula or lune.
/ˈluː.njuːl/
Meaning
2 sensesAnything crescent-shaped; a crescent-shaped part or mark; a lunula or lune.
A healthy lunule is usually most prominent on the thumb and may be invisible on the pinky finger.
The architect incorporated a lunule design into the arched windows of the cathedral.
the crescent-shaped area at the base of the human fingernail
An area in front of the beak of many bivalve shells, sometimes shaped like a double crescent, but more often heart-shaped.
Origin
Borrowed from French lunule, from Latin lūnula, diminutive of lūna (“moon”). By surface anBorrowed from French lunule, from Latin lūnula, diminutive of lūna (“moon”). By surface analysis, luna + -ule.
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