n.1 any small sharp-pointed body.
2 Zool. a small hard calcareous or siliceous body, esp. in the framework of a sponge.
3 Bot. a small or secondary spike.
4 Astron. a spikelike prominence, esp. one appearing as a jet of gas in the sun's corona.
Derivatives:
spicular adj. spiculate adj.
Etymology: mod.L spicula, spiculum, dimins. of SPICA