ligneous
|lig-ne-ous|
/ˈlɪɡniəs/
wood-like
Etymology
'ligneous' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'ligneus', where 'lignum' meant 'wood'.
'ligneus' passed into Late Latin and Middle English forms (via Medieval Latin) and eventually became the English adjective 'ligneous'.
Initially it referred directly to 'of or relating to wood', and it has retained this core meaning while also gaining specialized medical usage ('wood-like deposits').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
resembling or consisting of wood; woody in texture or appearance.
The fallen branches and ligneous debris lay thick on the forest floor.
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Adjective 2
in medical contexts: characterized by or producing tough, wood-like (fibrinous) membranes or deposits (e.g., ligneous conjunctivitis).
The patient was diagnosed with ligneous conjunctivitis, showing woody pseudomembranes on the conjunctiva.
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Last updated: 2025/09/04 17:40