types:
cocoon
silky envelope spun by the larvae of many insects to protect pupas and by spiders to protect eggs
body,
dead body
a natural object consisting of a dead animal or person
asterism
(astronomy) a cluster of stars or a small constellation
body
an individual 3-dimensional object that has mass and that is distinguishable from other objects
carpet
a natural object that resembles or suggests a carpet
consolidation
something that has consolidated into a compact mass
mechanism
a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function
nest
a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
radiator
any object that radiates energy
rock,
stone
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
sample
all or part of a natural object that is collected and preserved as an example of its class
tangle
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
carcase,
carcass
the dead body of an animal especially one slaughtered and dressed for food
carrion
the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
roadkill
the dead body of an animal that has been killed on a road by a vehicle
scale
a flattened rigid plate forming part of the body covering of many animals
shell
the hard largely calcareous covering of a mollusk or a brachiopod
test
a hard outer covering as of some amoebas and sea urchins
life form
the characteristic bodily form of a mature organism
anatomy,
bod,
build,
chassis,
figure,
flesh,
form,
frame,
human body,
material body,
physical body,
physique,
shape,
soma
alternate name for the body of a human being
mummy
a body embalmed and dried and wrapped for burial (as in ancient Egypt)
live body
the body of a living animal or person
case,
sheath
an enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part
integument
an outer protective covering such as the skin of an animal or a cuticle or seed coat or rind or shell
specimen
a bit of tissue or blood or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes
chromosome
a threadlike strand of DNA in the cell nucleus that carries the genes in a linear order
barrier
anything serving to maintain separation by obstructing vision or access
bedrock
solid unweathered rock lying beneath surface deposits of soil
beehive,
hive
a structure that provides a natural habitation for bees; as in a hollow tree
boulder,
bowlder
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
calculus,
concretion
a hard lump produced by the concretion of mineral salts; found in hollow organs or ducts of the body
chondrite
a rock of meteoric origin containing chondrules
clastic rock
(geology) a rock composed of broken pieces of older rocks
closed universe
(cosmology) a universe that is spatially closed and in which there is sufficient matter to halt the expansion that began with the big bang; the visible matter is only 10 percent of the matter required for closure but there may be large amounts of dark matter
comet
(astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
core
a cylindrical sample of soil or rock obtained with a hollow drill
drey
the nest of a squirrel
envelope
a natural covering (as by a fluid)
hair ball,
hairball,
trichobezoar
a compact mass of hair that forms in the alimentary canal (especially in the stomach of animals as a result of licking fur)
cap,
hood
a protective covering that is part of a plant
indument,
indumentum
a covering of fine hairs (or sometimes scales) as on a leaf or insect
intrusion
rock produced by an intrusive process
mass
a body of matter without definite shape
meteor
(astronomy) any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere
natural order
the physical universe considered as an orderly system subject to natural (not human or supernatural) laws
environment,
nature
(with 'the') the natural physical world including plants, animals, landscapes, etc.
nidus
a nest in which spiders or insects deposit their eggs
pebble
a small smooth rounded rock
petrifaction
a rock created by petrifaction; an organic object infiltrated with mineral matter and preserved in its original form
major planet,
planet
(astronomy) any of the nine large celestial bodies in the solar system that revolve around the sun and shine by reflected light; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in order of their proximity to the sun; viewed from the constellation Hercules, all the planets rotate around the sun in a counterclockwise direction
planet
any celestial body (other than comets or satellites) that revolves around a star
planetesimal
one of many small solid celestial bodies thought to have existed at an early stage in the development of the solar system
primary
(astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around it
roof
the inner top surface of a covered area or hollow space
satellite
any celestial body orbiting around a planet or star
shag
a matted tangle of hair or fiber
shell
a rigid covering that envelops an object
sill
(geology) a flat (usually horizontal) mass of igneous rock between two layers of older sedimentary rock
skim
a thin layer covering the surface of a liquid
slough
any outer covering that can be shed or cast off (such as the cast-off skin of a snake)
snowcap
a covering of snow (as on a mountain peak)
star
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
star
any celestial body visible (as a point of light) from the Earth at night
stepping stone
a stone in a marsh or shallow water that can be stepped on in crossing
stub
a short piece remaining on a trunk or stem where a branch is lost
tor
a prominent rock or pile of rocks on a hill
vesture
something that covers or cloaks like a garment
wall rock
a rock immediately adjacent to a vein or fault
whin,
whinstone
any of various hard colored rocks (especially rocks consisting of chert or basalt)
xenolith
(geology) a piece of rock of different origin from the igneous rock in which it is embedded
button
any of various plant parts that resemble buttons
thallus
a plant body without true stems or roots or leaves or vascular system; characteristic of the thallophytes
cap,
pileus
a fruiting structure resembling an umbrella or a cone that forms the top of a stalked fleshy fungus such as a mushroom
calyptra
the hood or cap covering the calyx of certain plants: e.g., the California poppy
volva
cuplike structure around the base of the stalk of certain fungi
peridium
outer layer of the spore-bearing organ in many fungi
domatium
a part of a plant (e.g., a leaf) that has been modified to provide protection for insects or mites or fungi
pycnidium
flask-shaped asexual structure containing conidia
stipule
a small leafy outgrowth at the base of a leaf or its stalk; usually occurring in pairs and soon shed
tepal
an undifferentiated part of a perianth that cannot be distinguished as a sepal or a petal (as in lilies and tulips)
gynostegium
the crown of the stamen in plants of the genus Asclepias
chalaza
basal part of a plant ovule opposite the micropyle; where integument and nucellus are joined
nucellus
central part of a plant ovule; contains the embryo sac
germ tube
(botany) a slender tubular outgrowth from a spore in germination
pollen tube
(botany) a slender tubular outgrowth from a pollen grain when deposited on the stigma for a flower; it penetrates the style and conveys the male gametes to the ovule
mentum
a projection like a chin formed by the sepals and base of the column in some orchids
corona
(botany) the trumpet-shaped or cup-shaped outgrowth of the corolla of a daffodil or narcissus flower
lip
(botany) either of the two parts of a bilabiate corolla or calyx
mycelium
the vegetative part of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching threadlike hyphae
plant organ
a functional and structural unit of a plant or fungus
aril
fleshy and usually brightly colored cover of some seeds that develops from the ovule stalk and partially or entirely envelopes the seed
duct
a continuous tube formed by a row of elongated cells lacking intervening end walls
sac,
theca
a case or sheath especially a pollen sac or moss capsule
indusium
a membrane enclosing and protecting the developing spores especially that covering the sori of a fern
veil,
velum
a membranous covering attached to the immature fruiting body of certain mushrooms
annulus,
skirt
(Fungi) a remnant of the partial veil that in mature mushrooms surrounds the stem like a collar
tendril
slender stem-like structure by which some twining plants attach themselves to an object for support
stump,
tree stump
the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
prophyll
a plant structure resembling a leaf
stock
a plant or stem onto which a graft is made; especially a plant grown specifically to provide the root part of grafted plants
receptacle
enlarged tip of a stem that bears the floral parts
kernel,
meat
the inner and usually edible part of a seed or grain or nut or fruit stone
lobe
(botany) a part into which a leaf is divided
ligule
(botany) any appendage to a plant that is shaped like a strap
bark
tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
biological clock
an innate mechanism in living organisms that controls the periodicity of many physiological functions
canopy
the uppermost layer of branches and foliage in a forest