nodule
noun
nod·ule
ˈnä-(ˌ)jül 
: a small mass of rounded or irregular shape: such as
a
: a small rounded lump of a mineral or mineral aggregate
b
: a swelling on a leguminous root that contains symbiotic bacteria
c
: a small abnormal knobby bodily protuberance (such as a tumorous growth or a calcification near an arthritic joint)
Examples of nodule in a Sentence
The examination revealed a nodule on his lung.
a nodule on the leaf indicated that a worm had laid eggs there
Recent Examples on the Web
These nodules contain minerals, such as cobalt and nickel, that green-energy batteries and technologies require.
—
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 30 July 2024
The very nodules that perform this oxygen-generating alchemy are also a mining target for their richness in rare earth metals.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 July 2024
Organisms normally need light to produce oxygen through a process known as photosynthesis, but researchers believe electrochemical activity produced by these masses — called polymetallic nodules — can extract oxygen from water.
—Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 23 July 2024
That doesn’t explain why there are differences in charge on the surfaces of the nodules, but Geiger theorizes that the nodules are porous enough to leave some of their inner layers exposed.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 22 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for nodule 
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 30 July 2024
The very nodules that perform this oxygen-generating alchemy are also a mining target for their richness in rare earth metals.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 July 2024
Organisms normally need light to produce oxygen through a process known as photosynthesis, but researchers believe electrochemical activity produced by these masses — called polymetallic nodules — can extract oxygen from water.
—Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 23 July 2024
That doesn’t explain why there are differences in charge on the surfaces of the nodules, but Geiger theorizes that the nodules are porous enough to leave some of their inner layers exposed.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 22 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for nodule
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nodule.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near nodule
Cite this Entry
“Nodule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nodule. Accessed 8 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nodule
noun
nod·ule
ˈnäj-(ˌ)ü(ə)l
1
: a small rounded mass
manganese nodules on the ocean floor
2
: a swelling on the root of a plant of the legume family that contains nitrogen-fixing bacteria
nodular
adjective
ˈnäj-ə-lər
Medical Definition
nodule
noun
nod·ule
ˈnäj-(ˌ)ü(ə)l
: a small mass of rounded or irregular shape: as
a
: a small abnormal knobby bodily protuberance (as a tumorous growth or a calcification near an arthritic joint)
b
: the nodulus of the cerebellum
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