Library / English Dictionary

EPIPHYSIS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: epiphyses   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A small endocrine gland in the brain; situated beneath the back part of the corpus callosum; secretes melatonin

Synonyms:

epiphysis; epiphysis cerebri; pineal body; pineal gland

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("epiphysis" is a kind of...):

ductless gland; endocrine; endocrine gland (any of the glands of the endocrine system that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The end of a long bone; initially separated from the main bone by a layer of cartilage that eventually ossifies so the parts become fused

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("epiphysis" is a kind of...):

long bone; os longum (in limbs of vertebrate animals: a long cylindrical bone that contains marrow)

Derivation:

epiphyseal; epiphysial (relating to the epiphysis of a bone)

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