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an·nu·lus

(ănyə-ləs)

n. pl. an·nu·lus·es or an·nu·li (-lī′)

1. A ringlike figure, part, structure, or marking, such as a growth ring on the scale of a fish.

a. A ring or group of thick-walled cells around the sporangia of many ferns that functions in spore release.

b. The ringlike remains of a broken partial veil, found around the stipes of certain mushrooms.

3. Mathematics The figure bounded by and containing the area between two concentric circles.

[Latin ānulus, ring, diminutive of ānus.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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