pectinate

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pectinate¹

  • /ˈpɛktəneɪt/

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Latin pectinātus (“combed”), from pectinō (“to comb”), from pecten (“comb”). First attested in the mid-18th century. By surface analysis, Latin pectin- (“comb, scallop”) + -ate.

adjective

  1. not comparable Having narrow ridges or projections aligned close together like the teeth of a comb. The moth's antennae were pectinate in shape, set with long teeth along one edge only.

    Similar: pectinated

  2. not comparable Striate.

    Similar: pectinated

verb pectinates · pectinating · pectinated

  1. ambitransitive To fit together in an alternating manner; to interlock or interdigitate. To ſet croſſe legg’d, or with our fingers pectinated or ſhut together is accounted bad, and friends will perſwade us from it.

pectinate²

  • /ˈpɛktəneɪt/

noun pectinates

  1. An ester or salt formed of pectinic acid.

Translations

Every language

adj resembling a comb

Españolpectinado
Portuguêspectinado

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Cite this
MLA

"pectinate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/pectinate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

pectinate. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/pectinate

Chicago

"pectinate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/pectinate.

BibTeX
@misc{pectinate_2026,
  title = {pectinate},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/pectinate},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}