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pul·vil·lus

(pŭl-vĭləs)

n. pl. pul·vil·li (-vĭlī′)

A soft, cushionlike pad on the foot of an insect, such as the housefly, by which it clings to a surface.

[Latin, short for pulvīnulus, diminutive of pulvīnus, cushion.]

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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