n. pl. raph·i·des (răfĭ-dēz′) or ra·phis·es One of a bundle of needlelike crystals of calcium oxalate occurring in many plant cells. [French, sing. of raphides, from New Latin, from Greek rhaphides, pl. of rhaphis, needle, from rhaptein, to sew; see wer-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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