patulous, a.
(ˈpætjʊləs)
[f. L. patul-us standing open, spread out, spreading, f. root of patēre to be open: cf. bibulus, crēdulus, etc.]
1. Open; expanded; opening rather widely.
| 1616 T. Adams Taming of Tongue Wks. 1862 III. 15 The ear yet hears more than ever the eye saw, and by reason of its patulous admission, derives that to the understanding whereof the sight never had a glance. 1697 Phil. Trans. XIX. 407 The Mouth was a very large patulous opening. 1778 Da Costa Brit. Conch. 16 On the under side it is quite patulous, or wide open. 1836–9 Todd Cycl. Anat. II. 60/2 By elasticity the proper patulous condition of certain canals and outlets is secured. |
2. Spreading: said esp. of the boughs of a tree, after Virg. Ecl. i. 1.
| 1682 Gibbon Introd. ad Latinam Blasoniam 84 This Cross..is always made patulous at its ends. 1790 Bystander 72 Reclining..under the umbrage of a patulous beech. 1875 R. F. Burton Gorilla L. (1876) I. 39 His hands and feet are large and patulous. 1881 Blackmore Christowell xv. (1882) I. 227 The boughs of the patulous tree..afford a noble amplitude. |
3. a. Bot. (See quots.)
| 1756 Watson in Phil. Trans. XLIX. 815 The rigid leaved Bell-flowers, with a diffusive panicle and patulous flowers. 1806 J. Galpine Brit. Bot. 11 Calyx setaceous, patulous, longer than the spikelets. 1861 Bentley Man. Bot. 223 The sepals are..spreading outwards..divergent or patulous. |
b. Entom. (See quot.)
| 1826 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. IV. 337 Patulous..when wings at rest partly cover each other. |
Hence ˈpatulously adv., ˈpatulousness.
| 1881 Watson in Jrnl. Linn. Soc. XV. 274 Inner lip spreads patulously. 1872 Cohen Dis. Throat 4 Exposed to atmospheric influences..in consequence of its permanent patulousness. 1876 tr. von Ziemssen's Cycl. Med. V. 329 Patulousness of the fetal openings is a not infrequent consequence of extensive congenital atelectasis. |