Villus
/ˈvɪl.əs/noun
A small fingerlike projection, especially one lining the small intestine and increasing its absorptive surface.
Did you know?The plural form “villi” preserves the original Latin grammar, while the structures themselves dramatically expand the intestine’s nutrient-absorbing surface.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
villus
“Shaggy hair, wool, or a tuft of hair”
Late Latin
Latin
villosus
“Hairy, shaggy, or covered with tufts”
Medieval Latin
Latin
villus
“A hairlike or tufted projection; the word remained available in learned medical vocabulary”
17th Century
New Latin
villus
“A microscopic hairlike projection, especially in anatomical description”
Modern English
English
villus
“A small fingerlike projection, particularly one in the lining of the small intestine”