n., pl., -te·ri·a (-tîr'ē-ə).
An eversible glandular sac on the first thoracic segment of many caterpillars that secretes an unpleasant-smelling substance to ward off predators.
[New Latin osmētērium, from Greek osmē, smell.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
