scutellum: Meaning and Definition of

scu•tel•lum

Pronunciation: (sky-tel'um), [key]
— pl. -tel•la
  1. the shieldlike cotyledon of certain monocots.
  2. a small plate, scutum, or other shieldlike part, as on the thorax of insects or the feet of birds.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.