reticulum

noun

re·​tic·​u·​lum ri-ˈti-kyə-ləm 

plural reticula ri-ˈti-kyə-lə  also reticulums

1

: the second compartment of the stomach of a ruminant in which folds of the mucous membrane form hexagonal cells compare abomasum, omasum, rumen

2

: a reticulate structure : network

Examples of reticulum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The capsules stay in the same position in the reticulum for the cow’s life, neither digested nor regurgitated. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 13 Dec. 2024

Craig McClain at Deep Sea News dug through the literature and found a 1988 paper describing just such a jellyfish, calling it Deepstaria reticulum. —Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2012

Around that time, perhaps influenced by the predominant metaphor, German anatomist Joseph von Gerlach looked at nervous tissue through his microscope and saw the tangle of fibers—a reticulum. —Benjamin Ehrlich, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, small net

First Known Use

circa 1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reticulum

• endoplasmic reticulum
• rough endoplasmic reticulum
• sarcoplasmic reticulum

Medical Definition

reticulum

noun

re·​tic·​u·​lum ri-ˈtik-yə-ləm 

plural reticula -lə 

1

: the second compartment of the stomach of a ruminant in which folds of the mucous membrane form hexagonal cells

called also honeycomb

compare abomasum, omasum, rumen

2

: a reticular structure : network: as

a

: the network of interstitial tissue composed of reticular fibers

called also reticular tissue

b

: the network often visible in fixed protoplasm both of the cell body and the nucleus of many cells