plico

Plico is a Latin verb meaning "I fold." It is the root of a family of English terms that describe folding, pleating, or repeating patterns, and it appears in various scientific and scholarly languages through the Latin verb plicare, “to fold.” The present indicative plico literally means “I fold,” illustrating how the root functions in Latin morphology.

In English, the combining form plic- is productive in many terms related to folding or pleating. Notable examples include plicate, meaning folded or pleated; plication, the act or result of folding; and replication, the process of folding back or repeating a pattern. The noun plica denotes a fold or ridge in tissue or membranes in anatomy, with specific examples such as the plica semilunaris in the eye and the intestinal plicae circulares, which are circular folds that increase surface area in the small intestine. In botany, plicate describes leaves or petals that are pleated or folded along their length, and plicate venation refers to a folded vein arrangement.

Outside English, plico persists in Latin and derived terms across fields, often appearing as part of longer words rather than in isolation as an English term. Its usage emphasizes the concept of folding, pleating, or folding-back, which is a common descriptive mechanism in biology, anatomy, and morphology.

See also: plica, plicate, replication, multiplication, duplication.