papula

US: (pap′yə lə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pap•u•la  (pap′yə lə), n., pl. -lae 

(-lē′). 
1. Invertebrates one of the small, ciliated projections of the body wall of an echinoderm, serving for respiration and excretion.

• Neo-Latin, Latin: pimple, pustule. See papule
• 1700–10

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pap•ule  (pap′yo̅o̅l), n. [Pathol.]

1. Pathology a small, somewhat pointed elevation of the skin, usually inflammatory but nonsuppurative.

• Latin papula pimple, pustule, akin to papilla nipple. See pap², -ule
• 1855–60;

pap′u•lar, adj. 
pap•u•lose  (pap′yə lōs′), adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

papule / ˈpæpjuːl/, papula / ˈpæpjʊlə/ noun ( -ules, -ulae / -jʊˌliː/)

1. a small solid usually round elevation of the skin

Etymology: 19th Century: from Latin papula pustule, pimple

ˈpapular, ˈpapuˌlose, ˈpapulous adjective