crenulated

Crenulated is an adjective used to describe an edge, margin, or outline that shows crenulations—small, rounded notches or teeth along its margin. The term is often applied in botanical and zoological descriptions as well as in architecture and paleontology to convey a scalloped contour; it denotes a qualitative feature rather than a discrete structure. Crenulations are typically finer than many common serrations, giving a soft, wavy edge. The root derives from crenel, the notch in a battlement, with the -ate suffix indicating a possessed property.

In botany, crenulated margins on leaves or petals are finely toothed or scalloped with shallow, rounded projections. The term crenate is related but usually refers to coarser scalloping, while crenulate implies a finer, more delicate edge. Numerous plant species exhibit crenulated leaf margins, particularly in genera where leaf surfaces or venation create an undulating outline.

In zoology and paleontology, crenulated edges may appear on shells, exoskeletons, or fossil fragments where the margin shows a row of small, rounded teeth. In architecture, crenulated or crenellated describes battlements with alternating merlons and gaps, a usage that has given the broader sense of a notched, crenulated edge when applied to non-architectural surfaces.

Overall, crenulated conveys a specific texture: an edge with repeated shallow indentations or teeth, finer and more regular than a simple serration, but more pronounced than a smooth margin.