[ ə(ʊ)'pə:kjʊləm ]
■ noun ( plural opercula -lə )
1》 technical term for gill cover .
2》 Zoology a plate that closes the aperture of a gastropod mollusc's shell when the animal is retracted.
3》 Botany a lid-like structure of the spore-containing capsule of a moss.
Derivatives
opercular adjective
operculate adjective
operculi- combining form .
Origin
C18: from L., lit. 'lid, covering'.