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vesica pis·cis

(pīsĭs, pĭsĭs)

1. A pointed oval shape formed by the intersection of the circumference of one circle with the center of another circle with an equal radius.

2. See mandorla.

[New Latin vēsīca piscis : Latin vēsīca, bladder + Latin piscis, genitive of piscis, fish (from the resemblance in shape).]

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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