flocculus

/ˈflɑkjələs/
noun
  1. A small, fluffy or woolly mass; a tiny clump or tuft.
    • A flocculus of dust drifted across the sunbeam in the old attic.
    • The biologist noted a flocculus of bacteria floating in the sample.
    • Under the microscope, each flocculus appeared as a tiny, fuzzy ball.
  2. A small lobe on the underside of the cerebellum in the brain, involved in balance and eye movements.
    • In the anatomy lab, students identified the flocculus on the brain model.
    • Damage to the flocculus can cause problems with balance and vision.
    • The flocculus helps coordinate eye movements with head position.
  3. A small, bright or dark patch on the surface of the sun (a type of solar feature).
    • The solar telescope captured images of a dark flocculus moving across the sun's surface.
    • Astronomers observed a bright flocculus near a sunspot group.
    • Changes in a flocculus can indicate increased solar activity.
Synonyms
What does "flocculus" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean