macula

play

noun mac·u·la \ ˈma-kyə-lə \

Definition of macula

plural maculae play \-ˌlē, -ˌlī\ also maculas

1 :spot, blotch; especially :macule

2 a :an anatomical structure having the form of a spot differentiated from surrounding tissues

b :a small yellowish area lying slightly lateral to the center of the retina that is made up mostly of cones (see ¹cone 3a), plays a key role in visual acuity, and has the fovea at its center — called also macula lutea, yellow spot

—

macular

play \-lər\ adjective

Recent Examples of macula from the Web

Located on the opposite side of the lens, the macula includes the region of sharpest vision, the fovea.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Dry macular degeneration stopped with low glycemic index diet in mouse study," 15 May 2017
The membrane can form over the macula , a region near the center of the retina that sharply focuses images, a crucial process for reading or seeing fine detail.

— christopher wanjek, Fox News, "Robot completes delicate eye surgery in first," 10 May 2017
The membrane can form over the macula, a region near the center of the retina that sharply focuses images, a crucial process for reading or seeing fine detail.

— christopher wanjek, NBC News, "Robot Performs First-Ever Surgery Inside Human Eye," 9 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'macula.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of macula

Middle English, from Latin

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First Known Use: 14th century

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Medical Dictionary

macula

play

noun mac·u·la \ ˈmak-yə-lə \

medical Definition of macula

plural maculae play \-ˌlē, -ˌlī\ also maculas

1 :a spot or blotch; especially :macule 2

2 :an anatomical structure having the form of a spot differentiated from surrounding tissues: as

a :macula acustica

b :a small yellowish area lying slightly lateral to the center of the retina that is made up mostly of cones, plays a key role in visual acuity, and has the fovea at its center — called also macula lutea, yellow spot

Learn More about macula

Britannica English: Translation of macula for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about macula

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macula

Definition of macula

macular

Recent Examples of macula from the Web

Origin and Etymology of macula

Medical Dictionary

macula

medical Definition of macula

Learn More about macula

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macula

Definition of macula

macular

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macula

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