# operculum

> English word · Noun · IPA /əʊˈpɜː.kjʊ.ləm/ · frequency rank #77,980

## Definitions
1. A covering flap in animals, such as a gill cover.
2. The lidlike portion of a moss sporangium or of a fruit that detaches to allow the dispersal of spores or seeds.
3. A gum flap covering (part of) a partially erupted tooth, usually a wisdom tooth.
4. A structure which serves as a cover or lid.
5. One of several flaps of cerebral cortex covering the insula.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin operculum.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/operculum