[ 'stəʊmə ]
■ noun ( plural ~s or ~ta -mətə )
1》 Botany any of the minute pores in the epidermis of the leaf or stem of a plant, allowing movement of gases in and out of the intercellular spaces.
2》 Zoology a small mouth-like opening in some lower animals.
3》 Medicine an artificial opening made into a hollow organ, especially one on the surface of the body leading to the gut or trachea.
Derivatives
~l adjective
Origin
C17: mod. L., from Gk ~ 'mouth'.