Chapter 1596

Sperm"ist (?) , n. (Biol.) A believer in the doctrine, formerly current, of encasement in the male (see Encasement ), in which the seminal thread, or spermatozoid, was considered as the real animal germ, the head being the true animal head and the tail the body.

Spermoblast <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mo*blast (?) , n. [ Spermo- + -blast .] (Physiol.) One of the cells formed by the diivision of the spermospore, each of which is destined to become a spermatozoid; a spermatocyte; a spermatoblast.

Spermococcus <Xpage=1383>

Sper`mo*coc"cus (?) , n. [NL. See Spermo- , and Coccus .] (Physiol.) The nucleus of the sperm cell.

Spermoderm <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mo*derm (?) , n. [ Spermo- + derm : cf. F. spermoderme .] (Bot.) The covering of a seed; -- sometimes limited to the outer coat or testa.

Lindley.

Spermogonium <Xpage=1383>

Sper`mo*go"ni*um (?) , n. [NL.; spermo- + Gr. <?/<?/<?/ offspring.] (Bot.) A conceptacle of certain lichens, which contains spermatia.

Spermologist <Xpage=1383>

Sper*mol"o*gist (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/<?/ picking up seeds; <?/<?/<?/<?/ sperm, seed + <?/<?/<?/<?/ to gather.] One who treats of, or collects, seeds.

Bailey.

Spermophile <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mo*phile (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/ a seed + <?/<?/<?/ loving, fond.] (Zo\'94l.) Any ground squirrel of the genus Spermophilus ; gopher. See Illust . under Gopher .

Spermophore <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mo*phore (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A spermatophore.

Spermophyta <Xpage=1383>

Sper*moph"y*ta (?) , n. pl. [Nl., from Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a seed + <?/<?/<?/ a plant.] Plants which produce seed; ph\'91nogamia. These plants constitute the highest grand division of the vegetable kingdom.

Spermophyte <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mo*phyte (?) , n. (Bot.) Any plant which produces true seeds; -- a term recently proposed to replace ph&ae;nogam .

Spermophytic <Xpage=1383>

Sper`mo*phyt"ic (?) , a. (Bot.) Capable of producing seeds; ph&ae;nogamic.

Spermoplasma <Xpage=1383>

Sper`mo*plas"ma (?) , n. [NL. See Spermo- , and Plasma .] (Physiol.) The protoplasm of the sperm cell.

Haeckel.

Spermosphere <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mo*sphere (?) , n. [ Spermo- + sphere .] (Physiol.) A mass or ball of cells formed by the repeated division of a male germinal cell (spermospore), each constituent cell (spermoblast) of which is converted into a spermatozoid; a spermatogemma.

Spermospore <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mo*spore (?) , n. [ Spermo- + spore .] (Physiol.) The male germinal or seminal cell, from the breaking up of which the spermoblasts are formed and ultimately the spermatozoids; a spermatospore.

Balfour.

Spermule <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mule (?) , n. [Dim. fr. sperm .] (Physiol.) A sperm cell.

Haeckel.

Sperm whale <Xpage=1383>

Sperm" whale` (?) . (Zo\'94l.) A very large toothed whale ( Physeter macrocephalus ), having a head of enormous size. The upper jaw is destitute of teeth. In the upper part of the head, above the skull, there is a large cavity, or case, filled with oil and spermaceti. This whale sometimes grows to the length of more than eighty feet. It is found in the warmer parts of all the oceans. Called also cachalot , and spermaceti whale .

Pygmy sperm whale (Zo\'94l.) , a small whale ( Kogia breviceps ), seldom twenty feet long, native of tropical seas, but occasionally found on the American coast. Called also snub-nosed cachalot . -- Sperm-whale porpoise (Zo\'94l.) , a toothed cetacean ( Hypero\'94don bidens ), found on both sides of the Atlantic and valued for its oil. The adult becomes about twenty-five feet long, and its head is very large and thick. Called also bottle-nosed whale .

Sperrylite <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ry*lite (?) , n. [Named after F. L. Sperry , who discovered it.] (Min.) An arsenide of platinum occuring in grains and minute isometric crystals of tin-white color. It is found near Sudbury, Ontario Canada, and is the only known compound of platinum occuring in nature.

Sperse <Xpage=1383>

Sperse (?) , v. t. To disperse. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Spessartite <Xpage=1383>

Spes"sart*ite (?) , n. [From Spessart , in Germany.] (Min.) A manganesian variety of garnet.

Spet <Xpage=1383>

Spet (?) , v. t. [AS. sp<?/tan . See Spit .] To spit; to throw out. [Obs.]

Spet <Xpage=1383>

Spet , n. Spittle. [Obs.]

Spetches <Xpage=1383>

Spetch"es (?) , n. pl. Parings and refuse of hides, skins, etc., from which glue is made.

Spew <Xpage=1383>

Spew (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spewed (?) ; p. pr.& vb. n. Spewing .] [OE. spewen , speowen , AS. sp\'c6wan ;n to D. spuwen to spit. OS & OHG. sp\'c6wan , G. speien , Icel. sp<?/ja to spew, Sw. spy , Dan. spye , Goth. spiewan , th. spjauti , L. spuere to split, Gr. <?/<?/<?/, Skr. shtiv , shth\'c6v . Cf. Pyke , Spit .] [Written also spue .] 1. To eject from the stomach; to vomit.

2. To cast forth with abhorrence or disgust; to eject.

Because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Rev. ii. 16.

Spew <Xpage=1383>

Spew , v. i. 1. To vomit.

Chaucer.

2. To eject seed, as wet land swollen with frost.

Spew <Xpage=1383>

Spew , n. That which is vomited; vomit.

Spewer <Xpage=1383>

Spew"er (?) , n. One who spews.

Spewiness <Xpage=1383>

Spew"i*ness (?) , n. The state of being spewy.

Spewy <Xpage=1383>

Spew"y (?) , a. Wet; soggy; inclined to spew.

Sphacel <Xpage=1383>

Sphac"el (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/: cf. F. sphac\'8ale .] (Med.) Gangrene.

Spacelate <Xpage=1383>

Spac"e*late (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sphacelated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Sphacelating .] [NL. sphacelare , sphacelatum , mortify: cf. F. sphac\'82ler . See Sphacelus .] (Med.) To die, decay, or become gangrenous, as flesh or bone; to mortify.

Sphacelate <Xpage=1383>

Sphac"e*late , v. t. (Med.) To affect with gangrene.

Sphacelate, Sphacelated <Xpage=1383>

Sphac"e*late (?) , Sphac"e*la`ted (?) , a. (Med.) Affected with gangrene; mortified.

<page="1384"> Page 1384

Sphacelation <Xpage=1384>

Sphac`e*la"tion (?) , n. (Med.) The process of becoming or making gangrenous; mortification.

Sphacelus <Xpage=1384>

Sphac"e*lus (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/.] (Med.) Gangrenous part; gangrene; slough.

Sph\'91renchyma <Xpage=1384>

Sph\'91*ren"chy*ma (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/ sphere + -enchyma as in parenchima .] (Bot.) Vegetable tissue composed of thin-walled rounded cells, -- a modification of parenchyma.

Sph\'91ridium <Xpage=1384>

Sph\'91*rid"i*um (?) , n. ; pl. Sph\'91ridia (#) . [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a sphere.] (Zo\'94l.) A peculiar sense organ found upon the exterior of most kinds of sea urchins, and consisting of an oval or sherical head surmounting a short pedicel. It is generally supposed to be an olfactory organ.

Sph\'91rospore <Xpage=1384>

Sph\'91"ro*spore (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/ sphere + E. spore .] (Bot.) One of the nonsexual spores found in red alg\'91; a tetraspore.

Sph\'91rulite <Xpage=1384>

Sph\'91r"u*lite (?) , n. (Min.) Same as Spherulite .

Sphagnicolous <Xpage=1384>

Sphag*nic"o*lous (?) , a. [ Sphagnum + L. colere to inhabit.] (Bot.) Growing in moss of the genus Sphagnum .

Sphagnous <Xpage=1384>

Sphag"nous (?) , a. (Bot.) Pertaining to moss of the genus Sphagnum , or bog moss; abounding in peat or bog moss.

Sphagnum <Xpage=1384>

Sphag"num (?) , n. [NL., fr/ Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a kind of moss.] (Bot.) A genus of mosses having white leaves slightly tinged with red or green and found growing in marshy places; bog moss; peat moss.

Sphalerite <Xpage=1384>

Sphal"er*ite (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/ slippery, uncertain. See Blende .] (Min.) Zinc sulphide; -- called also blende , black-jack , false galena , etc. See Blende (a) .

Sphene <Xpage=1384>

Sphene (?) , n. [F. sph\'8ane , fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a wedge.] (Min.) A mineral found usually in thin, wedge-shaped crystals of a yellow or green to black color. It is a silicate of titanium and calcium; titanite.

Sphenethmoid <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*neth"moid (?) , a. [ Sphen oid + ethmoid .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to both the sphenoidal and the ethmoidal regions of the skull, or the sphenethmoid bone; sphenethmoidal.

Sphenethmoid bone (Anat.) , a bone of the skull which surrounds the anterior end of the brain in many amphibia; the girdle bone.

Sphenethmoid <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*neth"moid , n. (Anat.) The sphenethmoid bone.

Sphenethmoidal <Xpage=1384>

Sphe`neth*moid"al (?) , a. (Anat.) Relating to the sphenoethmoid bone; sphenoethmoid.

Spheniscan <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*nis"can (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Any species of penguin.

Spheno- <Xpage=1384>

Sphe"no- (?) . A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with , or relation to , the sphenoid bone ; as in spheno maxillary, spheno palatine.

Sphenodon <Xpage=1384>

Sphe"no*don (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a wedge + <?/<?/<?/, <?/<?/<?/, a tooth.] (Zo\'94l.) Same as Hatteria .

Sphenoethmoidal <Xpage=1384>

Sphe"no*eth*moid`al (?) , a. (Anat.) Sphenethmoid.

Sphenogram <Xpage=1384>

Sphe"no*gram (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a wedge + -gram .] A cuneiform, or arrow-headed, character.

Sphenographer <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*nog"ra*pher , n. One skilled in sphenography; a sphenographist.

Sphenographic <Xpage=1384>

Sphe`no*graph"ic (?) , a. Of or pertaining to sphenography.

Sphenographist <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*nog"ra*phist (?) , n. A sphenographer.

Sphenography <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*nog"ra*phy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a wedge + -graphy .] The art of writing in cuneiform characters, or of deciphering inscriptions made in such characters.

Sphenoid <Xpage=1384>

Sphe"noid (?) , a. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/; <?/<?/<?/ a wedge + <?/<?/<?/ form: cf. F. sph\'82no\'8bde .] 1. Wedge-shaped; as, a sphenoid crystal .

2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sphenoid bone.

Sphenoid bone (Anat.) , an irregularly shaped bone in front of the occipital in the base of the skull of the higher vertebrates. It is composed of several fetal bones which become united the adult. See Alisphenoid , Basisphenoid , Orbitosphenoid , Presphenoid .

Sphenoid <Xpage=1384>

Sphe"noid (?) , n. 1. (Crystallog.) A wedge-shaped crystal bounded by four equal isosceles triangles. It is the hemihedral form of a square pyramid.

2. (Anat.) The sphenoid bone.

Sphenoidal <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*noid"al (?) , a. 1. Sphenoid.

2. (Crystalloq.) Pertaining to, or resembling, a sphenoid.

Sphenotic <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*not"ic (?) , a. [ Spheno- + <?/<?/<?/, <?/<?/<?/, the ear.] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, the sphenotic bone.

Sphenotic bone (Anat.) , a bone on the anterior side of the auditory capsule of many fishes, and connected with, or adjoining, the sphenoid bone.

Sphenotic <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*not"ic , n. (Anat.) The sphenotic bone.

Spheral <Xpage=1384>

Spher"al (?) , a. 1. Of or pertaining to a sphere or the spheres.

2. Rounded like a sphere; sphere-shaped; hence, symmetrical; complete; perfect.

Sphere <Xpage=1384>

Sphere (?) , n. [OE. spere , OF. espere , F. sph\'8are , L. sphaera ,. Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a sphere, a ball.] 1. (Geom.) A body or space contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point within called its center .

2. Hence, any globe or globular body, especially a celestial one, as the sun, a planet, or the earth.

Of celestial bodies, first the sun, A mighty sphere , he framed. Milton.

3. (Astron.) (a) The apparent surface of the heavens, which is assumed to be spherical and everywhere equally distant, in which the heavenly bodies appear to have their places, and on which the various astronomical circles, as of right ascension and declination, the equator, ecliptic, etc., are conceived to be drawn; an ideal geometrical sphere, with the astronomical and geographical circles in their proper positions on it. (b) In ancient astronomy, one of the concentric and eccentric revolving spherical transparent shells in which the stars, sun, planets, and moon were supposed to be set, and by which they were carried, in such a manner as to produce their apparent motions.

4. (Logic) The extension of a general conception, or the totality of the individuals or species to which it may be applied.

5. Circuit or range of action, knowledge, or influence; compass; province; employment; place of existence.

To be called into a huge sphere , and not to be seen to move in 't. Shak.

Taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself. Hawthorne.

Each in his hidden sphere of joy or woe Our hermit spirits dwell. Keble.

6. Rank; order of society; social positions.

7. An orbit, as of a star; a socket. [R.]

Shak.

Armillary sphere , Crystalline sphere , Oblique sphere ,. See under Armillary , Crystalline ,. -- Doctrine of the sphere , applications of the principles of spherical trigonometry to the properties and relations of the circles of the sphere, and the problems connected with them, in astronomy and geography, as to the latitudes and longitudes, distance and bearing, of places on the earth, and the right ascension and declination, altitude and azimuth, rising and setting, etc., of the heavenly bodies; spherical geometry. -- Music of the spheres . See under Music .

Syn. -- Globe; orb; circle. See Globe .

Sphere <Xpage=1384>

Sphere (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sphered (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Sphering .] 1. To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to insphere.

The glorious planet Sol In noble eminence enthroned and sphered Amidst the other. Shak.

2. To form into roundness; to make spherical, or spheral; to perfect.

Tennyson.

Spherical, Spheric <Xpage=1384>

Spher"ic*al (?) , Spher"ic (?) , a. [L. sphaericus , Gr. <?/<?/<?/: cf. F. sph\'82rique .] 1. Having the form of a sphere; like a sphere; globular; orbicular; as, a spherical body .

2. Of or pertaining to a sphere.

3. Of or pertaining to the heavenly orbs, or to the sphere or spheres in which, according to ancient astronomy and astrology, they were set.

Knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance. Shak.

Though the stars were suns, and overburned Their spheric limitations. Mrs. Browning.

Spherical angle , Spherical co\'94rdinate , Spherical excess , etc. See under Angle , Coordinate , etc. -- Spherical geometry , that branch of geometry which treats of spherical magnitudes; the doctrine of the sphere, especially of the circles described on its surface. -- Spherical harmonic analysis . See under Harmonic , a. -- Spherical lune , portion of the surface of a sphere included between two great semicircles having a common diameter. -- Spherical opening , the magnitude of a solid angle. It is measured by the portion within the solid angle of the surface of any sphere whose center is the angular point. -- Spherical polygon , portion of the surface of a sphere bounded by the arcs of three or more great circles. -- Spherical projection , the projection of the circles of the sphere upon a plane. See Projection . -- Spherical sector . See under Sector . -- Spherical segment , the segment of a sphere. See under Segment . -- Spherical triangle , re on the surface of a sphere, bounded by the arcs of three great circles which intersect each other. -- Spherical trigonometry . See Trigonometry .

-- Spher"ic*al*ly , adv. -- Spher"ic*al*ness , n.

Sphericity <Xpage=1384>

Sphe*ric"i*ty (?) , n. [Cf. F. sph\'82ricit\'82 .] The quality or state of being spherial; roundness; as, the sphericity of the planets, or of a drop of water .

Sphericle <Xpage=1384>

Spher"i*cle (?) , n. A small sphere.

Spherics <Xpage=1384>

Spher"ics (?) , n. (Math.) The doctrine of the sphere; the science of the properties and relations of the circles, figures, and other magnitudes of a sphere, produced by planes intersecting it; spherical geometry and trigonometry.

Spherobacteria <Xpage=1384>

Sphe`ro*bac*te"ri*a (?) , n. pl. ; sing. Spherobacterium (<?/) . [NL. See Sphere , and Bacterium .] (Biol.) See the Note under Microbacteria .

Spheroconic <Xpage=1384>

Sphe`ro*con"ic (?) , n. (Geom.) A nonplane curve formed by the intersection of the surface of an oblique cone with the surface of a sphere whose center is at the vertex of the cone.

Spherograph <Xpage=1384>

Spher"o*graph (?) , n. [ Sphere + -graph .] An instrument for facilitating the practical use of spherics in navigation and astronomy, being constructed of two cardboards containing various circles, and turning upon each other in such a manner that any possible spherical triangle may be readily found, and the measures of the parts read off by inspection.

Spheroid <Xpage=1384>

Sphe"roid (?) , n. [L. spheroides ball-like, spherical, Gr. <?/<?/<?/; <?/<?/<?/<?/ sphere + <?/<?/<?/ form: cf. F. sph\'82ro\'8bde .] A body or figure approaching to a sphere, but not perfectly spherical; esp., a solid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about one of its axes.

Oblate spheroid , Prolate spheroid . See Oblate , Prolate , and Ellipsoid .

Spheroidal <Xpage=1384>