Scolex

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The structure at the front end of a tapeworm which, in the adult, has suckers and hooks by which it attaches itself to a host.

    "The head, with the circle of hooklets and the four suckers, is then formed at the anterior part of the embryo, constituting now the scolex of Van Beneden."

Example

More examples

"The head, with the circle of hooklets and the four suckers, is then formed at the anterior part of the embryo, constituting now the scolex of Van Beneden."

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek σκώληξ (skṓlēx, “worm”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.