Definition of: vallecula

(və·lek′yə·lə) noun plural ·lae (-lē)
1. A furrow or depression.
2. Anat. A deep sulcus (vallecula cerebelli) enclosing the median lobe on the inferior surface of the cerebellum; also, a depression on the back of the tongue on either side of the epiglottis.
3. Bot. A groove or furrow, as those between the ridges on the fruit of plants of the parsley family. [<NL, var. of L vallicula, dim. of vallis a valley]
—val·lec′u·lar, val·lec′u·late (-lit, -lāt) adjective