NYT Dictionary
TECTUM
/ˈtɛk.təm/NounTEC-tumtec-tum · 2 syllablesAdvanced/Professional
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2025
Meaning
The dorsal portion of the midbrain of vertebrates; in mammals, containing the superior colliculus and inferior colliculus
Etymology
Origin: Latin
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg-der. Proto-Italic *tegō Latin tegō Latin tēctumbor. English tectum From Latin tēctum (“roof”), from tegō (“to cover”), cognate with Ancient Greek τέγος (tégos, “roof; covered room”). Doublet of tect.
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2025.