[ 'spɪkju:l ]
■ noun
1》 chiefly Zoology a small needle-like structure, in particular any of those making up the skeleton of a sponge.
2》 Astronomy a short-lived jet of gas in the sun's corona.
Derivatives
spicular adjective
spiculate -lət adjective
spiculation noun
Origin
C18: from mod. L. spicula , spiculum , dimin. of spica 'ear of grain'.