n. 1 a small rounded protuberance esp. on a bone. 2 a small rounded swelling on the body or in an organ, esp. a nodular lesion characteristic of tuberculosis in the lungs etc. 3 a small tuber; a wartlike growth. tubercle bacillus a bacterium causing tuberculosis. tuberculate adj. tuberculous adj.
[ L tuberculum, dimin. of tuber: see TUBER ]