tapetum

noun

ta·​pe·​tum tə-ˈpē-təm 

plural tapeta tə-ˈpē-tə 

1

: any of various reflective membranous layers or areas especially of the choroid and retina of the eye

2

: a layer of nutritive cells that invests the sporogenous tissue in the sporangium of vascular plants

Examples of tapetum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Read More: 5 of the World’s Most Intelligent Animals In contrast to other night hunters, like owls, who have a handy tapetum layer to reflect extra light through their retina, tarsiers simply evolved very large eyes. —Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024

With the tapetum lucidum and many rods, cats are extraordinarily sensitive to any amount of light. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2023

Humans lack a tapetum, but many of us have seen one of its tricks: The tapetum is what makes cat, dog, and raccoon eyes glow in nighttime photographs. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 June 2022

Instead of a tapetum, Reynolds suggests the boy may just have an especially high number of rods, our photoreceptors that work well in low light. —Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 2 Feb. 2012

Exactly how the tapetum’s fibers close in on one another isn’t yet clear, even two decades in. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 June 2022

The part of the eye that changes color is the tapetum lucidum, a layer of tissue found behind the retina. —Nayeli Lomeli, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2021

The tapetum lucidum, which lines most of the back of the retina, comes into play in low-light situations, allowing the cat's eye to take in extra light. —Star Tribune, 21 May 2021

Some creatures, including cats, raccoons, and dogs, have a layer of reflective tissue in their eyes known as the tapetum lucidum. —Matt Simon, WIRED, 14 Jan. 2015

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin tapete carpet, tapestry, from Greek tapēt-, tapēs carpet

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

tapetum

noun

ta·​pe·​tum tə-ˈpēt-əm 

plural tapeta -ˈpēt-ə 

1

: any of various membranous layers or areas especially of the choroid and retina of the eye

specifically : tapetum lucidum

2

: a layer of nerve fibers derived from the corpus callosum and forming part of the roof of each lateral ventricle of the brain