1. Bent and hollowed
like a
roof or
gutter tile.
2. Lying over
every another in
regular order, so as to "break joints,"
like tiles or
shingles on a roof, the scales on the
leaf buds of
plants and the cups of some acorns, or the scales of fishes;
overlapping every another at the margins, as leaves in aestivation.
3. In decorative art: Having scales lapping one over the another, or a representation of such scales; as, an
imbricated surface; an
imbricated pattern.
Origin: L. Imbricatus, p.p. Of imbricare to
cover with tiles, to
form like a
gutter tile, fr. Imbrex, -icis, a
hollow tile,
gutter tile, fr. Imber rain.
Source: Websters Vocabulary