fascicle

IPA/ˈfæs.ɪ.kəl/
IPA/ˈfæs.ɪ.kəl/

fascicle — noun

  • fasciclesingular
  • fasciclesplural

1. A separately published section of a book or large reference work that is release

1.nounC1
Definition

A separately published section of a book or large reference work that is released one part at a time, with the intention that all parts together will form the complete work.

Example

The university library holds all twelve fascicles of the original atlas.

Each fascicle of the encyclopedia was sold separately at local bookshops.

passive: be sold separately

Common collocations
  • fascicle of the dictionary
  • fascicle of the encyclopedia
  • fascicle of the atlas
  • first fascicle
  • final fascicle
  • published in fascicles
  • issued in fascicles
  • bind fascicles
  • collect fascicles
Synonyms
  • installment

    More general term for any part of a serialised work; less formal and more common than 'fascicle'.

  • part

    Broader and more everyday word; 'part' does not carry the historical publishing sense of gradual release.

  • volume

    A complete bound book within a set; a fascicle is usually smaller and intended to be bound later.

Grammar Patterns

fascicle of + [publication]

Usage Note

Chiefly used in reference to older or scholarly publications that were issued gradually. The practice was common before modern printing made simultaneous full-volume production affordable. Distinguish from 'installment,' which can refer to any serialised part of a story or series.

Common Mistakes

I read the first fascicle of the novel.
I read the first installment of the novel.
'fascicle' is used for reference works like dictionaries or atlases released in parts, not for fiction.
The magazine comes out as a monthly fascicle.
The magazine comes out as a monthly issue.
'fascicle' refers to a part of a multi-volume written work, not a periodical.

2. A thin, elongated bundle of fibres — either muscle fibres or nerve fibres — that

2.nounC2
Definition

A thin, elongated bundle of fibres — either muscle fibres or nerve fibres — that is part of a larger anatomical structure in the body.

Example

The diagram labels each nerve fascicle running through the spinal cord.

collocation: nerve fascicle

Kabir studied the structure of a muscle fascicle in biology class.

Common collocations
  • nerve fascicle
  • muscle fascicle
  • fascicle of fibres
  • fascicle of nerve fibres
  • fascicle of muscle fibres
  • individual fascicle
  • damaged fascicle
  • healthy fascicle
Synonyms
  • bundle

    Everyday term for a collection of fibres; lacks the precise anatomical meaning of 'fascicle'.

  • fibre bundle

    Descriptive synonym more common in textbooks to explain the concept to beginners.

Grammar Patterns

[muscle/nerve] + fascicle

fascicle of + [fibres]

Usage Note

Primarily used in anatomy, medicine, and biology rather than everyday speech. Frequently appears in descriptions of peripheral nerves and skeletal muscles. Distinguish from 'fascia,' which is a sheet of connective tissue, not a bundle of fibres.

Common Mistakes

The doctor checked the fascicle in my leg.
The doctor examined the nerve fascicle during the surgery.
'fascicle' is a technical term for a specific bundle of fibres; do not use it as a general word for a body part.
A fascicle is a type of muscle.
A fascicle is a bundle of fibres inside a muscle.
A fascicle is a subdivision of a muscle, not the whole muscle.

Word family

  • fascicular
    adjectiveC2
  • fasciculus
    nounC2
  • fasciculation
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Fascicle,' 'installment,' 'part,' 'volume,' and 'section' all refer to a portion of a larger written work, but they differ in scope and context. A 'fascicle' is a specific historical term for a separately printed portion of a multi-volume reference work, intended to be bound later — you might hear of a dictionary published in 24 fascicles over six years. An 'installment' is broader, covering any serialised release, from a novel published weekly in a magazine to a podcast episode. 'Part' is the most general and can refer to any division of a book, whether printed separately or not. 'Volume' implies a complete, bound book within a set, whereas a fascicle is typically thinner and unbound. 'Section' focuses on content divisions within a single book, not on how the material was distributed over time. For example: 'The encyclopedia's first fascicle appeared in 1885; readers who collected all 12 could have them bound as a single volume.'

installment ↗part ↗volume ↗section ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • published in fascicles
  • issued in fascicles
  • bound into fascicles

Prepositions

  • fascicle of
  • in fascicles

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Borrowed from Latin 'fasciculus,' meaning 'a small bundle,' which is a diminutive of 'fascis' ('bundle' or 'pack'). Both the publishing sense (a 'bundle' of printed pages released as a unit) and the anatomy sense (a 'bundle' of nerve or muscle fibres) grow from the same core image of things tied together.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1