Cribellate
/ˈkrɪb.ə.leɪt/noun
Having a cribellum, a sieve-like silk-spinning organ found in some spiders.
Did you know?A cribellate spider releases thousands of exceptionally fine silk fibrils from this sieve-like organ, producing a woolly capture thread rather than ordinary smooth web silk.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*krei-bh-
“To sieve, separate, or distinguish; a reconstructed root associated with filtering and discrimination.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cribrum
“A sieve or strainer.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cribellum
“A small sieve; the diminutive form of cribrum.”
19th Century
Scientific Latin
cribellum
“A sieve-like spinning organ identified in certain spiders.”
19th Century
English
cribellate
“Having or equipped with a cribellum.”
Modern English
English
cribellate
“Describing spiders or silk associated with a cribellum.”