glossa

noun

glos·​sa ˈglä-sə 

ˈglȯ-

plural glossae ˈglä-ˌsē 

-ˌsī,

ˈglȯ-

also glossas

: a tongue or lingual structure especially in an insect

especially : the median distal lobe of the labium of an insect

Examples of glossa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The honeybee's tongue, called a glossa, is about 2.5 millimeters long in this species. —Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 13 Jan. 2015

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, borrowed from Greek glôssa "tongue" — more at gloss entry 3

First Known Use

circa 1852, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for glossa

• casa
• fossa
• masa
• ossa
• manasseh