nodule

[noj-ool]

noun

1. a small node, knot, or knob.

2. a small, rounded mass or lump.

3. Botany.,  a tubercle.

nodule

/ ˈnɒdjuːl /

noun

1. a small knot, lump, or node

2. Also called: root nodule. any of the knoblike outgrowths on the roots of clover and many other legumes: contain bacteria involved in nitrogen fixation

3. anatomy any small node or knoblike protuberance

4. a small rounded lump of rock or mineral substance, esp in a matrix of different rock material

nodule

1. A small, usually hard mass of tissue in the body.

2. A small, knoblike outgrowth found on the roots of many legumes, such as alfalfa, beans, and peas. Nodules grow after the roots have been infected with nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the genus Rhizobium.

3. See more at legume

4. A small, rounded lump of a mineral or mixture of minerals that is distinct from and usually harder than the surrounding rock or sediment. Nodules often form by replacement of a small part of the rocks in which they form.

Other Word Forms

• nodular adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nodule¹

1590–1600; < Latin nōdulus a little knot, equivalent to nōd ( us ) node + -ulus -ule

Word History and Origins

Origin of nodule¹

C17: from Latin nōdulus, from nōdus knot

Example Sentences

Many of the minerals involved in proposed deep sea mining operations are located on black, potato-shaped nodules that lie on the seafloor.

From Salon

Biden said his diagnosis was made on Friday after he reported urinary symptoms which led doctors to find a small nodule on his prostate.

From BBC

The 82-year-old Biden went in for an evaluation earlier this week, which led doctors to find a "small nodule" on his prostate.

From Salon

The deep sea contains billions of tonnes of potato-shaped rocks, called polymetallic nodules, which are rich in critical minerals like cobalt and rare earths.

From BBC

As companies eye the best patches of ocean to search for the precious sulphides and nodules, dubbed “truffles of the ocean,” the waters near the Saya de Malha Bank have emerged as an attractive target.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• growth 
• knot 
• node