pinguicula
pinguicula Lexical Profile
• noun
Any carnivorous plant of the genus Pinguicula (family Lentibulariaceae), commonly known as a butterwort, characterized by rosettes of sticky, glandular leaves that trap small insects and solitary, spurred, two-lipped blossoms in shades of violet, pink, yellow, or white.
A common, benign, yellowish-white raised patch or nodule on the bulbar conjunctiva of the eye, typically adjacent to the cornea, caused by degeneration of collagen fibers from chronic exposure to ultraviolet light, wind, or dust (more commonly spelled pinguecula).
"The optometrist assured the patient that the small yellowish pinguicula on the white of his eye was harmless and only required lubricating drops."
Word Nuance & Usage
In ophthalmology, 'pinguicula' (often spelled 'pinguecula') is frequently confused with a 'pterygium'; however, a pinguicula remains confined to the conjunctiva and does not grow onto the cornea.
• Rhymes for pinguicula
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.