Ocularium
/ˌɒk.jʊˈlɛə.ri.əm/noun
A small eye or eye-like opening, especially a sensory opening in certain fossil arthropods such as trilobites.
Did you know?In trilobite research, an ocularium can refer to a raised or eye-associated structure even when the original visual system is only partly preserved.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃ekʷ-
“Eye; to see”
Proto-Italic
Proto-Italic
*okulos
“Eye”
Classical Latin
Latin
oculus
“Eye”
Classical Latin
Latin
ocularis
“Of or relating to the eye”
New Latin
New Latin
ocularium
“An eye-like or eye-associated structure”
19th–20th Century
Scientific English
ocularium
“A specialized eye or eye-like opening, especially in zoological and paleontological description”