spireme

From Ancient Greek σπείραμα (speírama, “convolution”), ultimately from σπεῖρα (speîra). Probably influenced by -eme.

• IPA^(key): /ˈspaɪɹiːm/

spireme (plural spiremes)

1. (dated, biochemistry) the tangled mass of strands of chromatin seen in the early stages of mitosis, originally believed to be a single continuous strand (or two in a diploid cell, etc.)

• empires, emprise, epimers, imprese, permies, premies, premise