sagitt

Sagitt is a linguistic and scientific root derived from the Latin sagitta, meaning "arrow." It is used as a combining form in various disciplines to convey arrow-like shape, orientation, or resemblance to an arrow. The root appears in terms such as sagittal, sagittate, and sagittiform, among others.

In anatomy and medicine, sagittal most often refers to the sagittal plane, an anatomical orientation that divides the body into left and right parts. A related term is the median plane, which is essentially the midline sagittal plane. The skull features several sagittal terms as well, including the sagittal suture, a fibrous joint running along the midline, and the superior and inferior sagittal sinuses, venous channels within the dura mater that run along that same axis. A sagittal crest is a raised ridge found on the tops of certain animal skulls, associated with jaw muscle attachment in some species.

In botany, sagittate or sagittiform describes arrow-shaped forms. A sagittate leaf typically has a narrow base with two lobes that point toward the apex, giving it an arrowhead-like appearance. The term is used more generally for plant parts that resemble an arrow in outline.

In zoology and paleontology, the genus Sagitta includes small marine invertebrates known as arrow worms, named for their slender, pointed bodies. The root sagitt- thus appears in descriptions of arrow-like morphology across multiple kingdoms.

Related terms include sagittal, sagittate, sagittiform, and sagittally, which cross disciplines to denote arrow-like shape or directional orientation.