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ma·zae·di·um

(mə-zēdē-əm)

n. pl. ma·zae·di·a (-dē-ə)

A fruiting body of some lichens in which the spores lie freely in a powdery mass that is enclosed in a peridium.

[New Latin : Greek maza, lump; see mag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin aedēs, house.]

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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