capitulum

[kuh-pich-uh-luh m] /kəˈpɪtʃ ə ləm/

noun, plural capitula

[kuh-pich-uh-luh] /kəˈpɪtʃ ə lə/ (Show IPA)

Biology. any globose or knoblike part, as a flower head or the head of a bone.

Origin

1715-25; < Latin, equivalent to capit- (stem of caput) head + -ulum, neuter of -ulus -ule

British Dictionary definitions for capitulum

capitulum

/kəˈpɪtjʊləm/

noun (pl) -la (-lə)

a racemose inflorescence in the form of a disc of sessile flowers, the youngest at the centre. It occurs in the daisy and related plants

(anatomy, zoology) a headlike part, esp the enlarged knoblike terminal part of a long bone, antenna, etc

Word Origin

C18: from Latin, literally: a little head, from caput head

Word Origin and History for capitulum

used in various senses in English; Latin, literally "little head," diminutive of caput "head," also "leader, guide, chief person; summit; capital city; origin, source, spring," figuratively "life, physical life;" in writing "a division, paragraph;" of money, "the principal sum," from PIE *kaput- "head" (see head (n.)).

capitulum in Medicine

capitulum ca·pit·u·lum (kə-pĭch'ə-ləm)
n. pl. ca·pit·u·la (-lə)
A small head or rounded articular extremity of a bone.

ca·pit'u·lar adj.

capitulum in Science

capitulum

(kə-pĭch'ə-ləm)
Plural capitula

A small knob or head-shaped part, such as a protuberance of a bone or the tip of an insect's antenna.
An inflorescence consisting of a compact mass of small stalkless flowers, as in the English daisy. The yellow central portion of the capitulum of a daisy consists of disk flowers, while the outer white, petallike structures are actually ray flowers. The capitulum is the characteristic inflorescence of the composite family (Asteraceae) of flowering plants.