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tubule
noun
tu·bule
ˈtü-(ˌ)byül
ˈtyü-
: a small tube
especially
: a slender elongated anatomical channel
Examples of tubule in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The remnants of the xylem and phloem — tubules that transport water, sugars and nutrients throughout living leaves — somehow become a root.
—Douglas Main, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
The glomerulus does the filtering, while the tubule sends blood and other crucial material back into the bloodstream.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2024
According to the National Cancer Insitute, renal cell cancer occurs when cancer cells are found in the lining of the tubules in the kidney.
—Joelle Goldstein, PEOPLE.com, 10 Sep. 2019
This may eventually compromise the underlying dentin, which is a tissue containing hollow canals called tubules.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 18 Apr. 2018
This can aggravate the tubules in your dentin, causing sensitivity, Dr. Wolff says.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 18 Apr. 2018
When food is nearby, the plasmodium forms a network of slender tubules that branch out in search of it, eventually finding the optimal path.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr. 2018
Another project replaces the giant carbon-containment vessels for natural-gas storage with an intestine of tiny plastic tubules, allowing natural-gas tanks to fit any arbitrary shape as well as reducing the risk of catastrophic rupture.
—Tim O'Reilly, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2017
Old baleen splits like fingernails, which reveals its structure: each curved plate is two flat keratin layers with rows of tubules, like miniature coils of tightly rolled luncheon meat, sandwiched between.
—Jennifer S. Holland, Smithsonian, 1 Sep. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tubule.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Latin tubulus, diminutive of tubus
First Known Use
1677, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing tubule
Dictionary Entries Near tubule
Cite this Entry
“Tubule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tubule. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
tubule
noun
tu·bule
ˈt(y)ü-(ˌ)byü(ə)l
: a small tube
especially
: a long slender channel in the body of a living thing
Medical Definition
tubule
noun
tu·bule
ˈt(y)ü-(ˌ)byü(ə)l
: a small tube
especially
: a slender elongated anatomical channel
More from Merriam-Webster on tubule
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tubule
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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