"byssus" meaning in English

See byssus in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈbɪsəs/ Forms: byssi [plural], byssuses [plural]
Rhymes: -ɪsəs Etymology: From New Latin byssus (“sea silk”), from Latin byssus (“fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk”), from Ancient Greek βύσσος (bússos, “a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it”), from Hebrew בּוּץ (búts), Aramaic בּוּצָא (būṣā). Etymology templates: {{bor|en|la-new|byssus|t=sea silk}} New Latin byssus (“sea silk”), {{der|en|la|byssus|t=fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk}} Latin byssus (“fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk”), {{der|en|grc|βύσσος|t=a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it}} Ancient Greek βύσσος (bússos, “a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it”), {{der|en|he|בּוּץ|tr=búts}} Hebrew בּוּץ (búts), {{der|en|arc|בּוּצָא|tr=būṣā}} Aramaic בּוּצָא (būṣā) Head templates: {{en-noun|-|byssi|+}} byssus (usually uncountable, plural byssi or byssuses)
  1. The long fine silky filaments excreted by several mollusks (particularly Pinna nobilis) by which they attach themselves to the sea bed, and from which sea silk is manufactured. Tags: uncountable, usually
    Sense id: en-byssus-en-noun-ShMD5lBE
  2. Sea silk manufactured from these filaments. Tags: uncountable, usually Translations (filaments of molluscs): byssus (Finnish), byssus [masculine] (French), bisso [masculine] (Italian), kumikumi (Māori), bisior [masculine] (Polish), biso [masculine] (Spanish) Translations (historic fiber): byssus [masculine] (French), bisso [masculine] (Italian), bisior [masculine] (Polish), виссо́н (vissón) [masculine] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-byssus-en-noun-gz7HtQD4 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Māori translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Bivalves, Fabrics, Fibers Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 31 57 13 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 26 69 5 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 38 52 10 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 31 59 11 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 29 63 8 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 30 60 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 31 61 9 Disambiguation of Terms with Māori translations: 32 60 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 33 57 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 29 64 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 31 60 9 Disambiguation of Bivalves: 28 65 6 Disambiguation of Fabrics: 30 59 11 Disambiguation of Fibers: 30 58 12 Disambiguation of 'filaments of molluscs': 37 56 7 Disambiguation of 'historic fiber': 32 46 22
  3. (mycology) The stipe or stem of some fungi which are particularly thin and thread-like. Tags: uncountable, usually
    Sense id: en-byssus-en-noun-k8cffQBF Categories (other): Mycology Topics: biology, mycology, natural-sciences
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: byssaceous, byssal, byssate, byssiferous, byssine, byssinosis, byssogenous, byssoid, byssolite

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la-new",
        "3": "byssus",
        "t": "sea silk"
      },
      "expansion": "New Latin byssus (“sea silk”)",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "byssus",
        "t": "fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin byssus (“fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "βύσσος",
        "t": "a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek βύσσος (bússos, “a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "he",
        "3": "בּוּץ",
        "tr": "búts"
      },
      "expansion": "Hebrew בּוּץ (búts)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "arc",
        "3": "בּוּצָא",
        "tr": "būṣā"
      },
      "expansion": "Aramaic בּוּצָא (būṣā)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From New Latin byssus (“sea silk”), from Latin byssus (“fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk”), from Ancient Greek βύσσος (bússos, “a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it”), from Hebrew בּוּץ (búts), Aramaic בּוּצָא (būṣā).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "byssi",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "byssuses",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "byssi",
        "3": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "byssus (usually uncountable, plural byssi or byssuses)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssaceous"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssal"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssate"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssiferous"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssine"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssinosis"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssogenous"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssoid"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "byssolite"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "The long fine silky filaments excreted by several mollusks (particularly Pinna nobilis) by which they attach themselves to the sea bed, and from which sea silk is manufactured."
      ],
      "id": "en-byssus-en-noun-ShMD5lBE",
      "links": [
        [
          "filament",
          "filament"
        ],
        [
          "mollusk",
          "mollusk"
        ],
        [
          "sea bed",
          "sea bed"
        ],
        [
          "sea silk",
          "sea silk"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "31 57 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 69 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "38 52 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 59 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 63 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 60 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 61 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "32 60 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Māori translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 57 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 64 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 60 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "28 65 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Bivalves",
          "orig": "en:Bivalves",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 59 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Fabrics",
          "orig": "en:Fabrics",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 58 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Fibers",
          "orig": "en:Fibers",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Sea silk manufactured from these filaments."
      ],
      "id": "en-byssus-en-noun-gz7HtQD4",
      "links": [
        [
          "Sea silk",
          "sea silk"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "37 56 7",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
          "word": "byssus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "37 56 7",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "byssus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "37 56 7",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "bisso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "37 56 7",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Māori",
          "lang_code": "mi",
          "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
          "word": "kumikumi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "37 56 7",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "bisior"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "37 56 7",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "biso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "32 46 22",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "lang_code": "fr",
          "sense": "historic fiber",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "byssus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "32 46 22",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "historic fiber",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "bisso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "32 46 22",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "lang_code": "pl",
          "sense": "historic fiber",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "bisior"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "32 46 22",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "vissón",
          "sense": "historic fiber",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "виссо́н"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Mycology",
          "orig": "en:Mycology",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The stipe or stem of some fungi which are particularly thin and thread-like."
      ],
      "id": "en-byssus-en-noun-k8cffQBF",
      "links": [
        [
          "mycology",
          "mycology"
        ],
        [
          "stipe",
          "stipe"
        ],
        [
          "stem",
          "stem"
        ],
        [
          "fungi",
          "fungi"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(mycology) The stipe or stem of some fungi which are particularly thin and thread-like."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "biology",
        "mycology",
        "natural-sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbɪsəs/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪsəs"
    }
  ],
  "word": "byssus"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English nouns with irregular plurals",
    "English terms borrowed from New Latin",
    "English terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms derived from Aramaic",
    "English terms derived from Hebrew",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from New Latin",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪsəs",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪsəs/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Māori translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "en:Bivalves",
    "en:Fabrics",
    "en:Fibers"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la-new",
        "3": "byssus",
        "t": "sea silk"
      },
      "expansion": "New Latin byssus (“sea silk”)",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "byssus",
        "t": "fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin byssus (“fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "βύσσος",
        "t": "a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek βύσσος (bússos, “a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "he",
        "3": "בּוּץ",
        "tr": "búts"
      },
      "expansion": "Hebrew בּוּץ (búts)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "arc",
        "3": "בּוּצָא",
        "tr": "būṣā"
      },
      "expansion": "Aramaic בּוּצָא (būṣā)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From New Latin byssus (“sea silk”), from Latin byssus (“fine cotton or cotton stuff, silk”), from Ancient Greek βύσσος (bússos, “a very fine yellowish flax and the linen woven from it”), from Hebrew בּוּץ (búts), Aramaic בּוּצָא (būṣā).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "byssi",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "byssuses",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "byssi",
        "3": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "byssus (usually uncountable, plural byssi or byssuses)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "byssaceous"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssal"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssate"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssiferous"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssine"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssinosis"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssogenous"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssoid"
    },
    {
      "word": "byssolite"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Entries using missing taxonomic name (species)"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The long fine silky filaments excreted by several mollusks (particularly Pinna nobilis) by which they attach themselves to the sea bed, and from which sea silk is manufactured."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "filament",
          "filament"
        ],
        [
          "mollusk",
          "mollusk"
        ],
        [
          "sea bed",
          "sea bed"
        ],
        [
          "sea silk",
          "sea silk"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Sea silk manufactured from these filaments."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Sea silk",
          "sea silk"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Mycology"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The stipe or stem of some fungi which are particularly thin and thread-like."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mycology",
          "mycology"
        ],
        [
          "stipe",
          "stipe"
        ],
        [
          "stem",
          "stem"
        ],
        [
          "fungi",
          "fungi"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(mycology) The stipe or stem of some fungi which are particularly thin and thread-like."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "biology",
        "mycology",
        "natural-sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbɪsəs/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪsəs"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
      "word": "byssus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "byssus"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "bisso"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Māori",
      "lang_code": "mi",
      "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
      "word": "kumikumi"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "bisior"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "filaments of molluscs",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "biso"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "sense": "historic fiber",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "byssus"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "historic fiber",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "bisso"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "sense": "historic fiber",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "bisior"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "vissón",
      "sense": "historic fiber",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "виссо́н"
    }
  ],
  "word": "byssus"
}

Download raw JSONL data for byssus meaning in English (4.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-02-11 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-02-01 using wiktextract (f492ef9 and 59dc20b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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