PilOs

Pilos is a term that can appear in several contexts, but it does not refer to a single, widely recognized concept in science or geography. In biology, the root pilus denotes a hair-like appendage found on many bacteria; the standard noun is pilus (plural pili). The form pilos or pilose is sometimes seen as a component of other terms or as a misspelling, but "pilos" itself is not an established technical term in modern nomenclature. Texts that encounter "pilos" should be examined for the intended word—such as pilus, pilose, pilosity, or piliform.

The adjective pilose describes surfaces covered with fine hairs; pilosity is the state or quality of being hairy. Both derive from the Latin pilus for hair, through the form pil- in various compounds. The separate word "Pilos" has no accepted, independent meaning in taxonomy or anatomy in major reference works.

In non-scientific contexts, Pilos may appear as a proper noun, most often as a surname or a place name in limited regional usage, but these uses are not widely documented in standard references.

Etymology: from Latin pilus, hair. The sequence "pilos" functions primarily as part of longer terms rather than as an independent term.

See also: pilus, pili, pilosity, pilose, piliform.