[?'ri:?l?]
¦ noun (plural areolae -li:)
1. Anatomy a small circular area, in particular the pigmented skin surrounding a nipple.
Medicine a reddened patch around a spot or papule.
2. Biology any of the small spaces between lines or cracks on a leaf or an insect's wing.
Derivatives
areolar adjective
areolate adjective
Origin
C17 (in the sense 'small space or interstice'): from L., lit. 'small open space', dimin. of
area (see
area).