medulla

noun

me·​dul·​la mə-ˈdə-lə How to pronounce medulla (audio)
plural medullas or medullae mə-ˈdə-(ˌ)lē How to pronounce medulla (audio)
-ˌlī
1
plural medullae
2
a
: the inner or deep part of an animal or plant structure
the adrenal medulla

Examples of medulla in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The project is missing cell census data from some areas, such as the medulla. Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 Results showed some cells connected to the medulla were highly active at the start of a movement, whereas others switched on either in the midst or end of the activity. Simon Makin, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2018 Once the nerve signals reach the medulla, the brain initiates a physical response that involves closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, relaxing the muscles in your throat, and then forcing air, saliva, and mucus out your nose and mouth—all in a few seconds. Rebecca Strong, Health.com, 17 Feb. 2022 The medulla is the intersection. Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2021 The medulla is only about three-quarters of an inch across, and the dot of abnormality on an MRI can be hard to see. Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2021 But while anyone can buy a gym membership and do a few stage dives, one thing that couldn’t be replicated from Cornell was his iconic, medulla-scrambling voice. Corbin Reiff, SPIN, 18 May 2022 There, the invader becomes entangled in nose hair, stimulating nerve endings, which sends a message to a part of the brain stem called the medulla. Rebecca Strong, Health.com, 17 Feb. 2022 The medulla controls important yet involuntary functions like breathing, digestion, and heart rate. Rebecca Strong, Health.com, 17 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'medulla.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of medulla was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Medulla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medulla. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

medulla

noun
me·​dul·​la mə-ˈdəl-ə How to pronounce medulla (audio)
plural medullas or medullae -ˈdəl-ē How to pronounce medulla (audio)
-ˌī
1
2
: the inner or deep part of an animal or plant structure (as the adrenal gland or kidney)
medullary
ˈmed-ᵊl-ˌer-ē
ˈmej-ə-ˌler-ē
adjective

Medical Definition

medulla

noun
me·​dul·​la mə-ˈdəl-ə How to pronounce medulla (audio) -ˈdu̇l- How to pronounce medulla (audio)
plural medullas or medullae -(ˌ)ē How to pronounce medulla (audio) -ˌī How to pronounce medulla (audio)
1
plural medullae
2
a
: the inner or deep part of an organ or structure
the adrenal medulla
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