Villus

2 definitions found

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

  Villus \Vil"lus\, n.; pl. {Villi}. [L., shaggy hair, a tuft of
     hair.]
     1. (Anat.) One of the minute papillary processes on certain
        vascular membranes; a villosity; as, villi cover the
        lining of the small intestines of many animals and serve
        to increase the absorbing surface.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. pl. (Bot.) Fine hairs on plants, resembling the pile of
        velvet.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  villus
       n : a minute hairlike projection on mucous membrane
       [also: {villi} (pl)]