Definition

The upper part of the first segment of an insect's thorax, which is located just behind the head.

Example

The entomologist examined the pronotum to identify the species of the insect.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the term pronotum?

Yeah, I think it's related to insects, right?

Exactly! It's the dorsal plate of the prothorax in many insects.

That's so interesting; I never knew it had a specific name!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pronotum → It is formed from "pro-" (meaning before) and "notum" (from Latin "notare", meaning to mark). The word refers to the part of an insect's exoskeleton that is located before the notum, or back, of the thorax.

Memory Tip

Think of 'pro-' meaning 'before' and 'notum' relating to a 'mark' — the pronotum is the part that is marked or located before the back of the thorax.

Visually Confused Words