GLOMERULUS

[glo.mer.u.lus] n, pl -li [NL, glomerulus, glomerule, dim. of L glomer-, glomus ball; akin to L globus globe] (1856): a small convoluted or intertwined mass; esp: a tuft of capillaries at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron that passes a protein-free filtrate to the surrounding Bowman's capsule