Lamellar
/ləˈmɛlər/noun
Consisting of, arranged in, or shaped like thin layers or plates.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor, *lamella*, is a diminutive of *lamina*—so the word literally carries the idea of a tiny little plate, which is why it shows up in anatomy, minerals, and armor.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lem-
“To peel, strip, or cut thinly”
Latin
Latin
lamina
“A thin plate, layer, or sheet of metal”
Latin
Latin
lamella
“A small plate or scale; a diminutive of lamina”
Late Latin
Latin
lamellaris
“Pertaining to thin plates or scales”
Middle English / Modern English
English
lamellar
“Having thin layers or plates”