fascicle
UK[ˈfasɪk(ə)l]US[ˈfæsɪkəl]
n
a separately published installment of a book or other printed work.
n
a bundle or cluster of nerve, muscle, or other fibers.
Morpheme Breakdown
fasc
icle
fasc
bundle
icle
small thing
Etymology
the word 'fascicle' has a direct lineage from latin fasciculus, a diminutive of fascis meaning 'bundle'. this literal sense of a small bundle was adopted into english in the 15th century, first to describe a small bundle of plant stems or fibers. by the 17th century, this concrete imagery was logically extended to the publishing world, where a 'fascicle' referred to a small, separately issued installment of a larger work, conceptually bundled together for distribution. the anatomical sense, describing a bundle of nerve or muscle fibers, emerged later, preserving the core 'bundle' meaning in a scientific context.
Analysis
Structure: fasc (bundle) + icle (small thing)
fasc originates from latin fascis, meaning 'bundle'. icle is a diminutive suffix from latin -iculus.
Examples
the final fascicle of the new dictionary was published last year.
each muscle is composed of several fascicles wrapped in connective tissue.
botanists observed a fascicle of pine needles growing from the short shoot.