noun
- Plural of aspergillum; a small brush or sprinkler used in religious ceremonies to sprinkle holy water.
- Plural of aspergillus; a genus of fungi commonly found in soil and decaying organic matter, some species of which can cause respiratory infections in humans.
Usage: religious/liturgical context; also called aspergil or asperges
Usage: mycology/medical context
Examples
- The priest used the aspergills to distribute holy water to the congregation.
- During the Easter vigil, the deacon carried the aspergills in the processional.
- Aspergills are commonly found in damp environments and can trigger allergies.
- The laboratory identified aspergills in the air samples collected from the building.
- Some species of aspergills produce aflatoxins, which are harmful to human health.