n. pl. pli·cae (plīsē, -kē) A fold or ridge, as of skin, membrane, or shell. [Medieval Latin, fold, from Latin plicāre, to fold; see plek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] plical adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.