Meaning & use
ciliary bodies
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“ciliary bodies” is a form of “ciliary body”.
Meaning
nounpluraltechnicalmedicalbiology
The ring of tissue inside the eye that changes the shape of the lens and makes the fluid inside the eye.
Grammar: Always plural in this form; the singular is 'ciliary body'. It is usually used with 'the'.
Patterns
- the ciliary bodies
- the ciliary bodies of the eye
The ciliary bodies help the eye focus by adjusting the lens.
Damage to the ciliary bodies can affect how well a person sees close objects.
In biology class, we learned that the ciliary bodies also produce a fluid called aqueous humor.
Word forms
| singular | ciliary body |
|---|
Common combinations
- the ciliary bodies adjust the lens
- When you look at something near, the ciliary bodies adjust the lens to keep it in focus.
- damage to the ciliary bodies
- Damage to the ciliary bodies may lead to problems with focusing.
- ciliary bodies produce fluid
- The ciliary bodies produce fluid that fills the front part of the eye.
- ciliary bodies of the eye
- The ciliary bodies of the eye are small but very important.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ciliary muscle
- This refers specifically to the muscle part, while 'ciliary bodies' includes the muscle and the surrounding tissue.
Word family
- ciliary adjective
- Relating to the ciliary body or to tiny hair-like structures.
- ciliary body noun
- The singular form of the same eye structure.
Commonly confused: ciliary bodies or cilia?
ciliary bodies vs cilia
Cilia are tiny hair-like structures on cells, not the eye tissue. The ciliary body is inside the eye.
Practice
What is the main job of the ciliary bodies in the eye?
Choose one answer.
The ciliary bodies contain muscles that adjust the lens, which helps the eye focus on objects at different distances. Detecting light is the job of the retina, not the ciliary bodies.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ciliary bodies”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.