Cribriform
/ˈkrɪb.rɪ.fɔːrm/noun
Having a structure perforated with numerous small holes, like a sieve.
Did you know?The cribriform plate in the skull is a delicate perforated bone through which the olfactory nerves pass, linking the nasal cavity to the brain.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skribh-
“A reconstructed root associated with cutting, incising, or separating; its connection to Latin cribrum is considered probable but not certain.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cribrum
“A sieve or strainer used to separate finer material from coarser matter.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cribriformis
“Sieve-shaped; formed from cribrum, “sieve,” and -formis, “shaped.””
17th Century
English
cribriform
“Sieve-shaped or perforated with many small openings.”
Modern English
English
cribriform
“Especially used in anatomy and biology for structures resembling a sieve, such as the cribriform plate.”