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Caliciform
Caliciform means shaped like a cup or goblet. A goblet is a
bowl-shaped cup without handles that one drinks out of. A
common example of this term in the field of medicine is a
caliciform cell. A caliciform cell is a goblet-shaped cell of the
lining of the small intestine that secretes mucous. The small
intestine is the part of the intestine that takes in all of the
nutrients that the body needs. Caliciform is also used to refer to
the calciform papillae, which are naturally raised large structures
on the very back of the tongue. They are arranged in two lines
shaped like a ‘V” with the open part facing towards the front.
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The number of calciform papillae usually ranges from 16 to 20 and have an irregular
placement. They are placed in a sort of cup or surrounded by a circular trench, hence the
name.
Some beakers used in scientific laboratories are described as calciform beakers due to
their shape. Caliciform is also known as calyciform.
Caliciform comes from the Latin word "calix" meaning "the cup of a flower," and the Latin
word "forma" meaning "form." Put the two words together and you have "form (of) the cup
of a flower."
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