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Glite Dictionary
ceruminous

ceruminous

9.9
Relating to the parts of the ear that make earwax
  • adjective
  • /səˈruːmɪnəs/
  • Specialized
: ceruminoso
  • Cerumen is a mixture of secretions produced by the sebaceous and ceruminous glands and substances such as desquamated epithelial cells, shed hairs, and foreign bodies.

Examples

  • The ceruminous glands in your ear help protect it by producing earwax.

  • What substance is secreted by the ceruminous glands in the ear Wax.

  • Excessive buildup of earwax can be caused by overactive ceruminous glands.

  • Doctors may remove earwax if the ceruminous glands produce too much.

Surface Forms

ceruminous positive

Morphology

ceruminous = cerumen (semi-transparent) = cerumen + ous

Formed regularly from the noun 'cerumen' + the adjectival suffix '-ous', but 'cerumen' is a technical/rare medical term so many learners will not know the base.

Etymology

Ceruminous comes from the Latin cerumen, meaning 'wax' or 'earwax'. So ceruminous describes the glands or parts of the ear that make or contain earwax.