‖ trichoma
(trɪˈkəʊmə)
Pl. triˈchomata.
[mod.L., a. Gr. τρίχωµα a growth of hair, f. τριχοῦν to cover with hair.]
1. Path. A disease of the hair: = plica 1.
| 1799 Hooper Med. Dict., Trichōma, a disease of the hair. See Plica polonica. 1857 Dunglison Med. Lex., Trichoma, Capillamentum, Plica. |
2. Bot. Each of the filaments composing the thallus in algæ of the order Nostochineæ.
| 1866 Treas. Bot., Trichoma, the filamentous thallus of algals, as Conferva. 1879 W. G. Farlow Marine Algæ (1881) 11 In..the Nostochineæ, the cells are..attached to one another in the form of filaments, to which the name of trichomata is given. |
Hence (from sense 1) triˈchomaphyte (-faɪt) [Gr. ϕυτόν plant], a cryptogamic growth formerly supposed to cause trichoma; triˈchomatose a., affected with trichoma.
| 1857 in Dunglison Med. Lex. |