Patellae

3 definitions found

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

  Patella \Pa*tel"la\, n.; pl. {Patell[ae]}. [L., a small pan, the
     kneepan, dim. of patina, patena, a pan, dish.]
     1. A small dish, pan, or vase.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Anat.) The kneecap; the kneepan; the cap of the knee.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Zool.) A genus of marine gastropods, including many
        species of limpets. The shell has the form of a flattened
        cone. The common European limpet ({Patella vulgata}) is
        largely used for food.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Bot.) A kind of apothecium in lichens, which is
        orbicular, flat, and sessile, and has a special rim not a
        part of the thallus.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  patella
       n 1: a small flat triangular bone in front of the knee that
            protects the knee joint [syn: {kneecap}, {kneepan}]
       2: type genus of the family Patellidae: common European limpets
          [syn: {genus Patella}]
       [also: {patellae} (pl)]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  patellae
       See {patella}