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lanceolate

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:36 am
by eberntson
I ran across this word that describes the shape of a bay laurel leaf. First misread it as Lancelot The word is used in botany, science, computing, etc.


Main Entry: lan·ce·o·late
Pronunciation: \ˈlan(t)-sē-ə-ˌlāt\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin lanceolatus, from Latin lanceola, diminutive of lancea
Date: circa 1760
: shaped like a lance head ; specifically : tapering to a point at the apex and sometimes at the base <lanceolate leaves> <lanceolate prisms> — see leaf illustration

Re: lanceolate

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:46 pm
by Perry Lassiter
And in IT it refers to...?

Re: lanceolate

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 4:20 pm
by Philip Hudson
Lanceolate lances for one.

Re: lanceolate

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:33 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Coming back after reading the rants about furriners writing manuals, I see I was grossly unclear. By IT I meant the reference to computers. How is lanceolate used in that technology?

Re: lanceolate

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:56 am
by Philip Hudson
Perry asked for an instance of lanceolate in IT. IT wasn't invented when I was a computer geek. Geeks hadn't even been invented then. Does anyone know how lanceolate is used in any science or technology other than botany? I can't think of one or find one.

Re: lanceolate

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 4:26 pm
by eberntson
Mechanical Engineering: Valves are broadly lanceolate with slightly protracted and broadly rounded apices.

Neuro-Science: Glutamatergic modulation of synaptic-like vesicle recycling in mechanosensory lanceolate nerve terminals of mammalian hair follicles.

As for "computing" (aka IT) I mistakenly saw on OneLook that "lanceolate" showed up under "Computing Dictionaries", but is was an erroneous entry. Sorry for the confusion, I search under for it with the words computing, algorithm, computer-science, and no credible reference in computer science of the word "lanceolate" being used.

That said, I have more knowledge of how this word is used then I will ever need to know. Plus, I learned what oblanceolate looks like too.

Re: lanceolate

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:30 pm
by Philip Hudson
Emberson: Thanks for narrowing the field.

If I narrow the field to separate biology (which I confused by mistaking the word botany for biology - mea culpa, my bad) from other sciences, is there an example of lanceolate in any other science.

Could you give me the source for lanceolate valves in mechanical engineering. The quoted source sounds very much like a biological valve. I am being pretty particular, but am in honest search of information. Among my many past professions, I was a mechanical valve buyer and user in the oil and gas industry. I am having a hard time finding or visualizing a mechanical lanceolate valve.