Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

spondylium

noun
spon·dyl·i·um | \spänˈdilēəm\
plural spondylia\-ēə \

Definition of spondylium 

: a curved median plate for muscle attachment in the posterior part of one or both valves of a brachiopod

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for spondylium

New Latin, from Greek spondylion, from spondylos muscle of a bivalve

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about spondylium

Share spondylium

Resources for spondylium

Cite Time Traveler Time Traveler! Explore the year a word first appeared

Dictionary Entries near spondylium

spondylid

Spondylidae

spondylitis

spondylium

Spondylocladium

spondyloid

Spondylomorum

Statistics for spondylium

Look-up Popularity

Comments on spondylium

What made you want to look up spondylium? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

acceptation

a generally accepted meaning of a word

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz

  • scrabble-tiles-that-read-scrabble-quiz
  • Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games