n. (US tenia) (pl. taeniae or taenias) 1 Archit. a fillet between a Doric architrave and frieze. 2 Anat. any flat ribbon-like structure, esp. the muscles of the colon. 3 any large tapeworm of the genus Taenia, esp. T. saginata and T. soleum, parasitic on humans. 4 Gk Antiq. a fillet or headband. taenioid adj.
[ L f. Gk tainia ribbon ]