Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
The long fine silky filaments excreted by several mollusks (particularly Pinna nobilis) by which they attach themselves to the sea bed, and from which sea silk is manufactured.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Sea silk manufactured from these filaments.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The stipe or stem of some fungi which are particularly thin and thread-like.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Topics: biology, mycology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
tuft of strong filaments by which e.g. a mussel makes itself fast to a fixed surface
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: beard
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fiber, fibre
History
From Latin byssus, from Ancient Greek βύσσος (bússos, “flax; flax cotton”), from a Semitic source cognate to Hebrew בּוּץ (būṣ, “byssus”) and Aramaic בּוּצָא (būṣā, “byssus”)
Across languages
10 source translations are retained for this English entry.
