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sto·ma

(stōmə)

n. pl. sto·ma·ta (-mə-tə) or sto·mas

1. Botany One of the minute pores in the epidermis of a leaf or stem through which gases and water vapor pass. Also called stomate.

2. Anatomy A small aperture in the surface of a membrane.

3. A surgically constructed opening, especially one in the abdominal wall that permits the passage of waste after a colostomy or ileostomy.

4. Zoology A mouthlike opening, such as the oral cavity of a nematode.

[New Latin, from Greek, mouth.]

stomal, stoma·tal adj.

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stoma

in a leaf of iceberg lettuce

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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