denticle

«denticle» in Mova's school dictionary: One of the tiny tooth-like scales that cover the skin of… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (a denticle, denticles)

meaning for a pupil

1) (science) One of the tiny tooth-like scales that cover the skin of sharks and rays, making it feel rough like sandpaper; also called «dermal denticles». tree →

2) Any small tooth or tooth-shaped bump, for example on a leaf edge, insect leg or shell. tree →

sense in the lessons

In science lessons on sea animals and adaptation, shark skin is covered in denticles that point backwards; they reduce drag, help sharks swim fast and quietly, and stop barnacles and algae sticking. Engineers copied them (biomimicry) for swimsuits, boat hulls and hospital surfaces. Phrases: «dermal denticles», «shark denticles».

examples

• Shark skin is covered in tiny denticles. tree →
• Stroke a shark from tail to head and the denticles feel like sandpaper. tree →
• Denticles help sharks glide through the water. tree →
• Scientists copied shark denticles to make faster swimsuits. tree →
• Each denticle is built like a tiny tooth. tree →
• Under the microscope, the denticles looked like little ridged shields. tree →

note

Said «DEN-tih-kul». Plural: denticles. It comes from Latin «dens», tooth (as in «dentist»). Fun fact: a shark's denticles are made of the same materials as teeth (enamel-like outer layer and dentine), not the same as fish scales.

In the corpora

• Shark skin is covered in tiny tooth-like scales called dermal denticles that help water flow smoothly, and some swimsuits copy them.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «denticle» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.