apodeme

noun

ap·​o·​deme

ˈapəˌdēm

variants or less commonly apodema

əˈpädəmə

plural apodemes

-ēmz

also apodemas

-əməz

or apodemata

ˌapəˈdemətə

: one of the internal ridges or ingrowths from the exoskeleton of most arthropods that support the internal organs, provide points of attachment for the muscles, and constitute the endoskeleton of the animal

Word History

Etymology

New Latin apodema, from apo- + -dema (from Greek demas body, bodily build); akin to Greek demein to build

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!