sclerite

noun

scler·​ite ˈskler-ˌīt How to pronounce sclerite (audio)
: a hard chitinous or calcareous plate, piece, or spicule (as of the arthropod integument)

Examples of sclerite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, a new study by Dickinson and his team finally revealed the working of sclerites and the insect wing hinge. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Ars Technica, 22 Apr. 2024 This debate is still ongoing, so its evolution can’t tell us much about how the hinge and the sclerites operate. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Ars Technica, 22 Apr. 2024 Sometimes all experts have to work with are small, hard parts of the coral structure called sclerites. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024 Dude and biglebowski have sclerites that have different shapes. WIRED, 6 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sclerite was in 1861

Dictionary Entries Near sclerite

Cite this Entry

“Sclerite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sclerite. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on sclerite

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!