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Glite Dictionary
corneous

corneous

9.9
A hard covering made of horn or a horn-like material
  • adjective
  • /ˈkɔrnɪəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cornoso
  • The corneous layer of the skin protects the underlying tissues.

Examples

  • Some animals have corneous structures like horns and claws.

  • The scientist noted the corneous texture of the specimen's beak.

  • Many snails possess a corneous operculum to close their shells.

  • The turtle's shell has a corneous layer that provides extra protection.

  • The scientist noted the corneous texture of the specimen's beak.

  • The turtle's shell has a corneous layer that provides extra protection.

  • Some animals have corneous structures like horns and claws.

Synonyms

horny
vscorneous
4 7.6

Made from the hard, curved material on some animals or from a similar material

emphasizes resemblance in texture or composition rather than stating actual material
hornlike
vscorneous
6.3

Shaped like a horn

focuses on being made of horn or having the same composition and texture

How Hard

corneous
  • Specialized
9.9
firm
30 1.0
pliant
3 5.6
soft
552 1.0

Surface Forms

corneous positive

Morphology

corneous = horn (semi-transparent) = corne + ous

The meaning 'horn-like' is derivable from the base concept (horn), but the visible form 'corne-' does not match the common English word 'horn', so learners may not immediately recognise the relation.

Etymology

Corneous comes from the Latin word cornu, which means 'horn', and you can see the same root in familiar words like unicorn and cornet. So corneous means 'made of or like horn' and is used for hard, horn-like parts such as a beak or the outer layer of a shell.