follicle etymology

Etymology

The word "follicle" comes from the Latin word "folliculus," meaning "little bag" or "little sack."

Meaning and Origin

In biology and anatomy, a follicle refers to a small, sac-like structure that contains or produces something. Different types of follicles exist in various organisms and contexts:

  • Hair follicle: A small sac in the skin that contains the root and shaft of a hair.
  • Ovary follicle: A small sac within the ovary that contains an immature egg (oocyte) surrounded by protective cells.
  • Thymus follicle: A small, rounded mass of cells in the thymus gland where immature T cells mature.
  • Lymphatic follicle: A small collection of lymphocytes in lymphatic tissue, such as lymph nodes or the spleen.

The name "follicle" reflects the small, sac-like structure of these formations. In the case of hair follicles, the sac contains the hair shaft, while in the case of ovary follicles, the sac contains the egg. Follicles provide a protective environment for their contents and facilitate their development or function.

follicle relate terms

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  • baleen

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  • ball

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  • balloon

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  • ballot

    Etymology French ballotte from Italian ballota a little ball Latin balleus a ball

  • bold

    Etymology From Middle English bold bolde from Old English beald bald bold brave

  • bole

    Etymology and Origin The word bole is derived from the Middle English word bole whi

  • boll

    Etymology The word boll has multiple etymological origins Middle English bolle

  • bollocks

    Etymology The origin of the word bollocks is uncertain but there are several theories

  • bollix

    Etymology Blend of boll nonsense bollocks testicles Meaning Nonsense ru

  • boulder

    Etymology Old English bolder a large stone Proto Germanic bulaz stone rock Pr

  • boulevard

    Etymology French boulevard Old French bolvert Medieval Latin bulvercum meaning ram

  • bowl

    Etymology The word bowl comes from the Middle English word bolle which is derived fr

  • bulk

    Etymology The word bulk has multiple etymological origins Old English bulc mean

  • bull

    Etymology The word bull comes from the Middle English word bulle which in turn came

  • bullock

    Etymology Middle English buluc bouloc Old English buluc Proto Germanic buluką Pro

  • bulwark

    Etymology The word bulwark comes from the Dutch word bolwerck which is derived from

  • follicle

    Etymology The word follicle comes from the Latin word folliculus meaning little bag

  • folly

    Etymology The word folly is derived from the Old French word folie which itself is d

  • foosball

    Etymology Foosball is a term used in North America to describe a table game played wi

  • full

    Etymology Sanskrit pratipaksha prati against paksha side Meaning Opponen

  • pall mall

    Etymology Pall From Middle English palle or pelle meaning a large cloak or a c

  • bellows

    Etymology Old English bellowan from Proto Germanic balwanoz Proto Indo European bʰe

  • belly

    Etymology The word belly comes from the Old English word belig which itself has mul

  • bilge

    Etymology Old Norse bilgi bilgger Meaning Noun Wisdom knowledge insight Verb

  • billow

    Etymology Middle English bellen bullen Old English bellan bullon Proto Germanic b

  • bolster

    Etymology The word bolster comes from the Old English word bolster which is derived

  • budget

    Etymology Middle English bouget from Anglo Norman bougette meaning a leather ba

  • bulge

    Etymology of Bulge The word bulge originates from the Middle English word bolgen

  • Excalibur

    Etymology The name Excalibur is derived from the Old Welsh language where it appears a

  • Firbolgs

    Etymology The name Firbolg comes from the Old Irish words fir man and bolg bag

  • affluent

    Etymology Late Middle English as an adverb from French affluent present participle

  • bloat

    Etymology The word bloat comes from the Middle English word bloten which means to s

  • confluence

    Etymology The word confluence derives from the Latin confluentia which itself comes

  • effluent

    Etymology Late 16th century as an adjective meaning flowing out from Latin effluen

  • effluvium

    Etymology Latin effluvium an outflow exhalation vapor Late Latin effluvia an ou

  • efflux

    Etymology Latin effluxus meaning a flowing out Root effluere meaning to flow out

  • fluctuate

    Etymology Fluctuate comes from the Latin word fluctuare which means to toss about

  • fluent

    Etymology Origin Latin fluens present participle of fluere to flow Meaning Th

  • fluid

    Etymology The word fluid comes from the Latin word fluere meaning to flow or to

  • flume

    Etymology The word flume has several possible etymologies Latin From flumen mea

  • fluor

    Etymology Fluorine comes from the Latin word fluere which means to flow Meaning

  • fluorescence

    Etymology The term fluorescence is derived from the Latin word fluoresco which means

  • fluoride

    Etymology Fluoride is derived from the Latin word fluor which means to flow Meanin

  • fluoro

    Etymology Ancient Greek φθορά phtora destruction decay Latin fluor flux

  • flush

    Etymology The word flush has two distinct etymologies depending on its meaning 1 T

  • fluvial

    Etymology of Fluvial The word fluvial is derived from the Latin word fluvius which

  • flux

    Etymology The word flux is derived from the Latin word fluxus meaning a flowing

  • influence

    Etymology Middle English influence from Old French influence from Late Latin influ

  • influenza

    Etymology The word influenza is derived from the Italian word influenza which means

  • influx

    Etymology The word influx comes from the Latin word influxus which means a flowing

  • mellifluous

    Etymology mell Latin honey fluus Latin flowing Meaning Sweetly flowing or s

  • phloem

    Etymology Greek phloios φλοιός meaning bark Meaning Phloem refers to t

  • reflux

    Etymology The word reflux is derived from the Latin word refluere which means to fl

  • superfluous

    Etymology The word superfluous is derived from the Latin word superfluus which means

  • heyday

    Etymology Middle English heieday from Anglo Saxon hīedæg feast day Hīe high

  • corny

    Etymology The word corny is believed to have originated from the 19th century expressio

  • seminar

    Etymology The word seminar originates from the Latin word seminarium which can be tr

  • costume

    Etymology From Old French costume from Late Latin consuetudo meaning custom usage

  • preposterous

    Etymology The word preposterous comes from the Latin phrase prae posterus meaning i

  • latitude

    Etymology The word latitude comes from the Middle French latitude which in turn der

  • tolerance

    Etymology Latin tolerantia endurance patience Stems from the verb tolerare to be

  • experiment

    Etymology Latin experimentum trial proof Proto Indo European sper to ask inq