glomerulus

noun

glo·mer·u·lus glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ləs

glō-

plural glomeruli glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ˌlī

-ˌlē

glō-

: a small convoluted or intertwined mass

especially : a tuft of capillaries at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron that passes a protein-free filtrate to the surrounding Bowman's capsule

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, glomerulus, glomerule, diminutive of Latin glomer-, glomus ball; akin to Latin globus globe

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of glomerulus was in 1856

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Glomerulus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glomerulus. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

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Medical Definition

glomerulus

noun

glo·mer·u·lus glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ləs, glō-

plural glomeruli -ˌlī

-ˌlē

: a small convoluted or intertwined mass (as of organisms, nerve fibers, or capillaries): as

: a tuft of capillaries that is covered by epithelium, is situated at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron, and normally passes a protein-free filtrate from the blood to the surrounding Bowman's capsule see renal corpuscle

: the convoluted secretory part of a sweat gland

: a dense entanglement of nerve fibers situated in the olfactory bulb and containing the primary synapses of the olfactory pathway

called also olfactory glomerulus