Standard Lemma guide

fovea

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈfəʊ.vi.ə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -əʊviə

1

noun

Meaning 1

A slight depression or pit in a bone or organ.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The retinal fovea, or fovea centralis, responsible for sharp central vision.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

area consisting of a small depression in the retina containing cones and where vision is most acute

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fovea centralis

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: area, region

History

Etymology

From Latin fovea (“ditch, pit”). Doublet of foiba.