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eyespot

noun
eye·​spot | \ ˈī-ËŒspät How to pronounce eyespot (audio) \

Definition of eyespot

1 : a usually small spot of color (as on the wing of a butterfly) that resembles an eye
2a : a simple visual organ of pigment or pigmented cells covering a sensory termination : ocellus
b : a small pigmented body of various unicellular algae
3 : any of several fungal diseases of cultivated grasses (such as corn, wheat, and sugarcane) characterized by yellowish oval lesions on the leaves and stem
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Examples of eyespot in a Sentence

a tie having eyespots of blue on a light gray background

Recent Examples on the Web

 During two days in October, these break off from the rest of the worm, and using an eyespot within, swim toward the surface—and the light of the moon. — Douglas Main, National Geographic, "Why oysters close on the full moon—and more odd lunar effects on animals," 17 Apr. 2019 Scientists suspect eyespots first evolved in Jurassic lacewings and then a second time in modern butterflies. — Rachael Lallensack, Smithsonian, "Here Are 12 Things You Might Miss in the Smithsonian’s New Fossil Hall," 7 June 2019 Butterflies use the eyespots on their hindwings not for stealth but to scare away potential predators. — Carrie Arnold, National Geographic, "#BestSpots Contest Highlights Why Animals Have Spots," 21 Dec. 2016 Dakin repeated part of Petrie’s eyespot-snipping experiment. — Susan Milius, WIRED, "Male Peacock Feathers May Have Lost Their Sexy," 27 Apr. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eyespot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of eyespot

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for eyespot

eyespot

noun
eye·​spot | \ ˈī-ËŒspät How to pronounce eyespot (audio) \

Medical Definition of eyespot

1 : a simple visual organ of pigment or pigmented cells covering a sensory termination : ocellus
2 : a small pigmented body of various unicellular algae

More from Merriam-Webster on eyespot

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with eyespot

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for eyespot

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about eyespot

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