Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Covered with or formed of scales; scaly.
  • adjective Resembling a scale or scales; thin and flat like a scale.
  • adjective Of or relating to the thin, platelike part of the temporal bone.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In zoöl, and anatomy: Covered with scales; scaly; squamate; squamose; squamiferous or squamigerous.
  • Scale-like; squamoid; squamiform; specifically, of a bone, same as squamosal.
  • In botany, same as squamose.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Covered with, made of, or resembling scales; scaly.
  • adjective anatomy Of or pertaining to the squamosal bone; squamosal

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin squāmōsus, from squāma, scale.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin squāmōsus, from squāma ("scale").

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Examples

  • It was the right leg, the right shin, which was revealed to be what she called a squamous cell carcinoma.

    CNN Transcript Dec 18, 2006 2006

  • When the basal cells reach the spinous layer, they are referred to as squamous cells.

    Simple Skin Beauty Ellen Marmur 2009

  • When the basal cells reach the spinous layer, they are referred to as squamous cells.

    Simple Skin Beauty Ellen Marmur 2009

  • When the basal cells reach the spinous layer, they are referred to as squamous cells.

    Simple Skin Beauty Ellen Marmur 2009

  • He did have a cancerous lesion known as a squamous cell carcinoma removed in February.

    CNN Transcript May 23, 2008 2008

  • Blocking UVB helps reduce sunburn and protect against the more common (but far less deadly) forms of skin cancer called squamous and basal-cell carcinoma.

    A Warning On Sunscreen 2008

  • As for the skin cancer, as it says, An examination of his skin in February, which he repeats every few months, discovered on his leg a non-invasive form of skin cancer, called a squamous cell carcinoma, which was "destroyed" earlier this month using liquid nitrogen.

    Andrew Sullivan's contest: Make videos about McCain's old age. Ann Althouse 2008

  • Back in February of this year, he had what's known as squamous cell carcinoma.

    CNN Transcript May 23, 2008 2008

  • The cancer was identified as a squamous cell carcinoma, a malignant tumor that is the second most common form of skin cancer.

    Archive 2006-12-17 Sinfonian 2006

  • The cancer was identified as a squamous cell carcinoma, a malignant tumor that is the second most common form of skin cancer.

    Laurabot's carcinoma Sinfonian 2006

Comments

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  • "...mud and protruberant close-packed stone in dense sharp ridges underfoot, squamous and scutellated like a reptile's back or the feet of a falcon."

    - Niall Griffiths, Sheepshagger

    January 15, 2008

  • Apparently this is pronounced "squay·mis" rather than "squam·is."

    March 15, 2008

  • I'm totally puzzled as to how I actually knew that, now.

    June 18, 2009