Pl. -a or -ons. [a. Gr. τετράπλευρον a figure with four sides, f. τετρα-, TETRA- + πλευρόν rib, side.]
1. A square column.
1837. Penny Cycl., IX. 315/1. Square pillars or tetrapleurons, with either a statue, or a caryatid figure standing before.
2. Morphol. Pl. Tetrapleura: Organic forms with bilateral symmetry having four antimeres or corresponding opposite parts. Cf. DIPLEURA.
1883. [see DIPLEURA].
Hence Tetrapleural a., Morphol., zygopleural with four antimeres.
1891. in Cent. Dict.