Pl. foramina. [L. forāmen, f. forāre to bore.] An opening or orifice, a hole or short passage, for the protrusion of an organ, or for the performance of organic functions. In various applications in Anat., Zool., etc. In Bot. esp. the foramen of an ovule (see quot. 1866).
1671. Grew, Anat. Veg. (1672), i. 3. At the thicker end of the Bean, in the outer Coat, a very small Foramen presents it self, even to the bare Eye.
1682. T. Gibson, Anat. (1697), 20. Above, where it adheres to the Midriff, it has three foramina or holes.
1819. Rees, Cycl., Foramen … a term applied to the apertures observable in some specimens of echini, distinct from the mouth and vent.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol. (1828), III. xxx. 256. In many conical pupæ below the anal angle or mucro, is the appearance of a vertical foramen or passage.
1828. Quain, Elem. Anat. (1837), 150. Round the optic foramen on each side are attached the four recti.
1831. R. Knox, Cloquet’s Anat., 185. It forms part of the intervertebral foramina.
1841–71. T. R. Jones, Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4), 210. Innumerable foramina, piercing thse ambulacral bands, give passage to as many tubular feet or protrusible suckers.
1866. Treas. Bot., s.v. The foramen of an ovule is an aperture through the integuments, allowing the passage of the pollen tubes to the nucleus.
