papilla

n. (pl. papillae) any of the four types of swellings on the tongue. In humans, some 200 fungiform papillae are toward the front of the tongue; 10 to 14 foliate papillae are on the sides; 7 to 11 circumvallate papillae are on the back; and filiform papillae, with no taste function, cover most of the tongue’s surface. Also called lingual papilla.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

Estes–Skinner procedure

another name for conditioned suppression. [after William K. Estes and B. F. Skinner, who developed the technique in 1941]