rima
UK[ˈriːmə]US[ˈriːmə]
n
A narrow elongated opening or fissure, especially one on the surface of a planet or moon.
n
(Anatomy) A cleft or slit-like opening between two symmetrical parts, such as the rima glottidis in the larynx.
Etymology
The word 'rima' is a direct borrowing from Latin, where it meant a crack, fissure, or cleft. It is believed to originate from the Proto-Indo-European root rei-, meaning "to tear, scratch, or cut", which also gave rise to words like 'rift'. In Latin, 'rima' was used for natural splits in rocks or the ground. This literal sense was adopted into scientific English in the 17th century, first in anatomy to describe slit-like openings in the body, such as the 'rima glottidis', and later in planetary geology to label similar linear features observed on other celestial bodies.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Latin, where it functioned as a noun meaning "a crack, fissure, cleft".
Examples
The astronomers studied the long rima on the surface of the moon.
The rima glottidis is the narrowest part of the laryngeal cavity.
A network of rimae was visible in the telescope's image of the Martian plain.