Capitulum

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Capitulum \Ca*pit"u*lum\ (k[.a]*p[i^]t"[-u]*l[u^]m), n.; pl.
     {Capitula} (k[.a]*p[i^]t"[-u]*l[.a]). [L., a small head.]
     1. A thick head of flowers on a very short axis, as a clover
        top, or a dandelion; a composite flower. A capitulum may
        be either globular or flat. --Gray.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Anat.) A knoblike protuberance of any part, esp. at the
        end of a bone or cartilage.
  
     Note: [See Illust. of {Artiodactyla}.]
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  capitulum
       n 1: a dense clusters of flowers or foliage; "a head of
            cauliflower"; "a head of lettuce" [syn: {head}]
       2: fruiting spike of a cereal plant especially corn [syn: {ear},
           {spike}]
       3: the upper branches and leaves of a tree [syn: {crown}, {treetop}]
       [also: {capitula} (pl)]