Cancellus

Cancellus is a term used in multiple disciplines to denote a lattice-like or grid-like pattern. The word derives from Latin cancellus, meaning a small lattice or grate, and is generally used descriptively rather than as a fixed technical term. In scientific and scholarly writing, cancellus may appear in contexts where a cancellate or lattice-like texture is relevant, but there is no single, standardized definition that applies across fields.

In biology, cancellus has appeared in historical or informal taxonomic references as a proposed genus name for certain small invertebrates with lattice-like surface ornamentation. No contemporary authority maintains cancellus as a valid, widely recognized genus, so current zoological catalogs do not treat it as an accepted taxon. When used in this manner, cancellus functions as a descriptive label rather than a formal taxonomic rank.

In materials science and geology, cancellus is occasionally used descriptively to describe porous, interconnected lattice structures observed in certain minerals, composites, or synthesized materials. In these settings, cancellus signals a texture or morphology rather than a standardized material class.

Because cancellus is not a standardized term, its meaning depends on context and is typically clarified by accompanying descriptors or illustrations. The term is most useful as a historical or qualitative reference to lattice-like structures rather than as a rigorous scientific label.