the small projection of tissue at the base of a hair, tooth, or feather
2.
any other similar protuberance
3.
any minute blunt hair or process occurring in plants
Derived forms
papillary (paˈpillary) or papillar (paˈpillar) or papillate (ˈpapillate) or papillose (ˈpapillose)
adjective
Word origin
C18: from Latin: nipple; related to Latin papula pimple
papilla in American English
(pəˈpɪlə)
nounWord forms: pluralpaˈpillae (pəˈpɪli)
1.
a.
any small nipplelike projection or process of connective tissue, as the small elevations at the root of a developing tooth, hair, feather, etc. or the many and variously shaped elevationson the surface of the tongue