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Glite Dictionary
zonule

zonule

1 9.9
A small band of tissue that holds or supports body parts
  • noun
  • /ˈzoʊnjuːl/
  • Specialized
: zonula
  • The zonule surrounds the lens in the eye, helping it to focus light accurately.

Examples

  • The tension in the zonule can affect the shape of the crystalline lens.

  • The zonule of Zinn, discovered in 1753, is part of the hyaloid membrane adjacent to the margins of the lens (of the eye).

    Academic text (1993)

  • In anatomy, the zonule serves as a critical support structure for various organs.

Synonyms

zona
vszonule
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A ring of tissue that goes around a body part

is narrower in meaning referring to a small band rather than any encircling structure
zonula
vszonule
  • Specialized
9.9

A thin band of tissue that joins cells together

has identical meaning but differs in word form or ending

How Wide

girdle
  • Specialized
3 7.2
belt
515 1.0
zonule
  • Specialized
1 9.9
strip
292 3.0
band
191 1.0
thread
17 3.0

Surface Forms

zonule singular
zonules plural

Morphology

zonule = zone (semi-transparent) = zone + ule

Built from 'zone' + the Latin-derived diminutive suffix '-ule'; the sense 'small zone' is analyzable but the suffix and the technical anatomical usage make it not fully transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Zonule comes from the Greek word zōnē meaning 'belt' plus the small ending -ule meaning 'little', so it literally means a 'little belt'. That's why a zonule is used for a small, beltlike band in the body's tissues, for example the band that helps hold the eye's lens in place.