noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   A thrusting javelin used by Romans that replaced the pilum in the late 3rd century.
2. 2
   small pointed structure serving as a skeletal element in various marine and freshwater invertebrates e.g. sponges and corals wordnet
3. 3
   A sharp, pointed crystal, especially of ice.
4. 4
   A sharp, needle-like structure, especially those making up the skeleton of a sponge.
5. 5
   A small radial emission of gas seen in the chromosphere and corona of the sun.

Synonyms

All synonyms

spiculespiculebramblebriarbrierbristle

Etymology

From Latin spīculum (“a little sharp point”), from spīcum, alternative form of spīca (“point, spike”).

Related phrases

spiculum amoris

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