imbricated
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective: 1. Overlapping in a regular pattern, like scales or roof shingles: Used especially to describe the arrangement of leaves, bracts, or similar structures where each part covers a portion of the one beneath it.
Usage
The word "imbricated" is a technical term primarily used in botany, biology, and geology to describe a specific, orderly overlapping pattern. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation. - It describes how parts are arranged, not how they feel or function. - It often implies a protective or covering function due to the overlapping.
Examples
- In Botany:
- The pine cone has imbricated scales that protect the seeds.
- The buds were covered by imbricated layers of tough, protective leaves.
- In General Description:
- The artist depicted the dragon with an imbricated hide of armored plates.
- The roof's imbricated tiles provided excellent protection from the rain.
Advanced Usage
- "Imbricated" vs. "Overlapping": While "overlapping" is a general term, "imbricated" specifies a regular, often tessellated or shingle-like pattern, typically in a single direction (e.g., from bottom to top, or from the outside inward).
- In Geology: The term can describe the arrangement of sedimentary particles or tectonic plates that overlap in a similar fashion.
Variants and Related Words
- Imbricate (verb): To arrange or be arranged in an overlapping order.
- The tiles were carefully imbricated to shed water effectively.
- Imbrication (noun): The state of being imbricated; an overlapping arrangement.
- The imbrication of the fish's scales reduces drag as it swims.
Synonyms
- Overlapping
- Layered
- Shingled
- Tiled (in a specific, patterned context)
Antonyms
- Separated
- Disjointed
- Non-overlapping
Adjective
- used especially of leaves or bracts; overlapping or layered as scales or shingles