Standard Lemma guide

villus

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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  • /ˈvɪləs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪləs

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small projection from a membrane, particularly those found in the mucous membranes of the intestines.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

One of the fine soft hairs on fruits, flowers, and other parts of plants.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a minute hairlike projection on mucous membrane

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: process, outgrowth, appendage

Narrower terms: chorionic villus

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin villus (“shaggy hair”).

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: زُغابَة (zuḡāba) — small projection from a membrane
  • Arabic: زَغْبَة (zaḡba) — small projection from a membrane
  • Chinese Mandarin: 絨毛 /绒毛 (róngmáo) — small projection from a membrane
  • Czech: klk — small projection from a membrane
  • Finnish: nukkalisäke — small projection from a membrane
  • German: Zotte — small projection from a membrane
  • Hebrew: סִיס (sis) — small projection from a membrane
  • Hindi: अंकुर (aṅkur) — small projection from a membrane
  • Hungarian: boholy — small projection from a membrane
  • Hungarian: bolyh — small projection from a membrane
  • Hungarian: (intestinal) bélboholy — small projection from a membrane
  • Hungarian: bélbolyh — small projection from a membrane
  • Irish: villeas — small projection from a membrane
  • Korean: 융모 (yungmo) — small projection from a membrane
  • Northern Kurdish: memîle — small projection from a membrane
  • Malay: vilus — small projection from a membrane
  • Malay: purasap — small projection from a membrane
  • Māori: tīngoingoi — small projection from a membrane
  • Polish: kosmek — small projection from a membrane
  • Portuguese: vilo — small projection from a membrane
  • Slovak: klk — small projection from a membrane
  • Swedish: villus — small projection from a membrane
  • Turkish: villus — small projection from a membrane