n.
Pronunciation: al- ' v ē - ə -l ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -li \ - ˌ l ī , -( ˌ )l ē \
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, diminutive of alveus cavity, hollow, from alvus belly, beehive; akin to Lithuanian aulys beehive, Greek aulos tube, flute
Date: circa 1706
1 : a small cavity or pit: as a : a socket in the jaw for a tooth b : a small air-containing compartment of the lungs in which the bronchioles terminate and from which respiratory gases are exchanged with the pulmonary capillaries c : an acinus of a compound gland d : a cell of a honeycomb
2 : TEETHRIDGE