n.
Pronunciation: - ' th ē -l ē - ə m
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -lia \ -l ē - ə \
Etymology: New Latin, from mes- + epi thelium
Date: 1886
: epithelium derived from mesoderm that lines the body cavity of a vertebrate embryo and gives rise to epithelia (as of the peritoneum, pericardium, and pleura), striated muscle, heart muscle, and several minor structures
– me · so · the · li · al \ -l ē - ə l \ adjective