oxea

== English == === Etymology === From Ancient Greek ὀξέᾱ (oxéā). Either from the Ionic form of Attic ὀξεῖᾰ (oxeîă), (a feminine form of ὀξῠ́ς (oxŭ́s, “sharp”) applied to ῥᾰ́βδος (rhắbdos, “wand; shaft”)) or a variant of ὀξῠ́ᾱ (oxŭ́ā), ὀξῠ́η (oxŭ́ē, “beech; spear-shaft”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɒksɪə/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈɑksi.ə/ Homophone: oxia === Noun === oxea (plural oxea or oxeas or oxeae) (zoology, of sponges (Porifera)) a monoaxial spicule which is pointed at both ends ==== Usage notes ==== The Oxford English Dictionary lists only the plural oxea, but other sources list the plurals oxeae (by analogy to Latin feminine nouns such as alumna ~ alumnae) or oxeas (by generalization to standard English pluralization). ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “pointed spicule”): strongyle ==== Derived terms ==== oxeate === References === == Spanish == === Verb === oxea inflection of oxear: third-person singular present indicative second-person singular imperative