Alula
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈæljuːlə/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Alula is a noun meaning (ornithology) A small projection of three or four feathers on the first digit of the wing on some birds.
Meaning
(ornithology) A small projection of three or four feathers on the first digit of the wing on some birds.
More Meanings
- A flower, a species of Hawaiian lobelioid.
Example Sentences
On the wing, even the tiny “thumb feather” or alula can be seen.
More recently, the upturned wing tips of jet aircraft mimic the "fingers" of birds' terminal primary feathers, and the slotted leading edges of aircraft wings are directly copied from the alula ("thumb" wings) in birds.
Word Forms
- alulae
- alulas
Synonyms for alula
Depending on context, synonyms include insignis, calypter.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include calypter, secondary, stipula, radiolus, axial, featherlet.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.