Lacunaire

Lacunaire is a French adjective meaning lacunar or relating to lacunae—small cavities, gaps, or interspaces within a structure. The term derives from Latin lacuna, meaning a hollow or gap, and is used in scientific and academic French to describe features defined by such gaps.

In biology and medicine, lacunae are tiny cavities that house certain cells. For example, bone tissue contains osteocytes within lacunae, and cartilage contains chondrocytes in lacunae. A description of tissue as lacunaire highlights the presence of these spaces. The concept also appears in discussions of microscopic architecture and histology, where lacunar patterns are notable.

In clinical contexts, lacunar infarcts refer to small, deep brain strokes caused by blockage of small penetrating arteries. The English term lacunar infarct is standard, while French medical writing may use infarct lacunaire. Thus lacunaire is used in pathology to indicate lacunar or lacuna-related pathology.

In textual criticism and manuscript studies, lacunaire can describe texts that are lacunose, containing gaps or missing portions. A lacunaire edition or manuscript exhibits lacunae in transmission, and scholars differentiate between preserved, lacunar, and incomplete copies.

See also lacuna, lacunae, and lacunar.