cere

tr.v., cered, cer·ing, ceres.
To wrap in or as if in cerecloth.

[Middle English ceren, ciren, from Old French cirer, to cover with wax, from Latin cērāre. See cerate.]

cere² (sîr)
n.
A fleshy or waxlike membrane at the base of the upper beak in certain birds, such as parrots, through which the nostrils open.

[Middle English sere, from Old French cire, from Medieval Latin cēra, from Latin, wax. See cerate.]

cered cered adj.

The firm, fleshy bond lying across the base of the beak of birds. Most obvious in the pigeon as a white, saddle-like object. The cere is blue in male budgerigars and light brown to pink in females, so offering a convenient means of sexing these birds. The color may fade in males with testicular tumors.

• c. hypertrophy — occurs in psittacine birds, particularly budgerigars; overgrowth may occlude the nares. Called also brown hypertrophy of the cere.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has one meaning:

Meaning #1: wrap us in a cerecloth, as of a corpse

---