WordGarden.iovillous
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /vˈɪləs/
Meanings
Adjective
covered with long soft hairs or shaggy projections, especially in botanical or zoological description
having or made of villi, especially in anatomy, histology, or pathology
Beyond the definition
Imagine the inside of your small intestine. It is covered with tiny, finger-like bumps called villi. That is where "villous" comes from. Something described as villous has a surface covered with small, soft, hair-like parts or with villi, so it may look fuzzy, velvety, or finely tufted. You will mostly see this word in biology, medicine, and sometimes botany. It can describe tissues made to absorb nutrients, or plant parts covered in soft hairs. The word comes from the Latin villus, meaning a tuft of hair. So when something is villous, picture a surface full of tiny soft projections.
"Villous" describes a surface marked by many small, soft, hair-like projections, or by structures called villi. These projections may look fuzzy, shaggy, velvety, or finely tufted, depending on the context. In biology and medicine, the word often refers to tissues that have villi, especially when those tiny projections help increase surface area. This is very important in anatomy, particularly in the digestive system and the placenta. Your small intestine is not a smooth tube; its inner lining is villous, which helps it absorb nutrients from food more effectively.
While it is most common in scientific writing, "villous" can also be used in botany for plant parts, such as leaves or stems, that are covered in long, soft hairs. In medicine, it appears in terms like "villous adenoma," a type of polyp with a growth pattern made up of many small projections. It also appears in phrases like "chorionic villi" in embryology. So although you probably would not use "villous" in everyday conversation, the idea behind it is consistent: a surface that is covered with fine soft hairs or tiny projections, often in a way that helps with absorption, protection, or a distinctive textured appearance.
Examples
- 1
Botany
The botanist noted that the underside of the leaf was villous.
- 2
Plant identification
This species can be recognized by its small, villous stems.
- 3
Pathology
The pathology report described the polyp as villous rather than smooth.
- Domain
in medical descriptions, villous can mean having a fine, shaggy, or finger-like surface rather than a smooth one
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- villousadjective