taenia — ONAD

taenia /ˈtēnēə, ˈtiniə

/ (US also tenia)

▸ noun

(plural taeniae /-nēˌē, -nēˌī/ or taenias)

1 Anatomy a flat ribbon-like structure in the body.

▪ (taeniae coli /ˈkōlī/) the smooth longitudinal muscles of the colon.

2 Architecture a fillet between a Doric architrave and frieze.

3 (in ancient Greece) a band or ribbon worn around a person's head.

4 a large tapeworm which parasitizes mammals.

Genus Taenia, class Cestoda: several species, in particular T. saginata and T. soleum.

– DERIVATIVES
taenioid /-nēˌoid/ (US also tenioid) adjective

– ORIGIN mid 16th century (in taenia (SENSE 2)): via Latin from Greek tainia ‘band, ribbon’.