acicula

noun

acic·​u·​la

ə-ˈsi-kyə-lə

plural aciculae

ə-ˈsi-kyə-ˌlē,

-ˌlī

or aciculas

: a needlelike spine, bristle, or crystal

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, going back to Late Latin acicula, acucula "small needle, small pin for a headdress,", from Latin acu-, stem of acus "needle" (going back to Indo-European *h₂eḱ-u- "pointed") + -cula, diminutive suffix

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

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