obtusale

Obtusale is a Latin adjective used in scientific terminology to describe something blunt or rounded in shape. In zoological, botanical, and anatomical descriptions, the term may appear as an epithet in a species name or as a descriptive modifier for a structure, such as a bone edge, a foramen, a leaf tip, or a petal that lacks sharpness or acute angles.

Etymology and form: Obtusale derives from obtusus, meaning blunt or dull, with the adjectival ending -alis. In Latin, adjectives of this type have gendered forms; obtusale is the neuter singular form, while the masculine and feminine form is typically obtusalis. In practice, the form used depends on the gender of the noun it modifies. As a descriptive term, obtusale is not a taxon or proper name in itself but a morphological descriptor.

Usage notes: The term is most often encountered in taxonomic or anatomical literature as part of a longer phrase rather than as a standalone entry. Its usage helps convey the appearance or contour of a feature, indicating that it is blunt, not pointed or acute. Because Latin adjectives must agree with their nouns, careful attention to gender and case is required when applying obtusale in nomenclature.

See also: Latin in biological nomenclature, morphological descriptors, foramen obtusale (as a hypothetical example of usage), adjectival endings in Latin taxonomy.