aegagropila

noun

ae·​ga·​grop·​i·​la

ˌē-gə-ˈgrä-pə-lə

1

or less commonly aegagropile or egagropile

ē-ˈga-grō-ˌpīl

plural aegagropilas or aegagropilae

ˌē-gə-ˈgrä-pə-ˌlē

also aegagropiles or egagropiles : a ball of hair or a concretion found in the stomach of the goat and other ruminants

2

plural aegagropilas or aegagropilae : a ball-shaped mass of hairlike filaments formed by some algae (as certain species of the genus Cladophora)

3

capitalized in some classifications : a genus of algae comprising all forms forming aegagropilas

aegagropilous

¦ē-gə-¦grä-pə-ləs

adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek aigagros + Latin pila ball, from pilus hair

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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