/vee"leuhm/ , n. , pl. vela /-leuh/ , for 1, 2, velum for 3.
1. Biol. any of various veillike or curtainlike membranous partitions.
2. Anat. the soft palate. See under palate (def. 1).
3. Meteorol. a thin cloud, large in horizontal area, that is draped over or penetrated by cumuliform clouds.
[ 1765-75; velum sail, covering ]