stoma
noun
[ ˈstəʊmə ]
• any of the minute pores in the epidermis of the leaf or stem of a plant, forming a slit of variable width which allows movement of gases in and out of the intercellular spaces.
• an artificial opening made into a hollow organ, especially one on the surface of the body leading to the gut or trachea.
Origin:
late 17th century: modern Latin, from Greek stoma ‘mouth’.
