Chapter 963

Meg`as*then"ic (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Having a typically large size; belonging to the megasthenes.

Megastome <Xpage=909>

Meg"a*stome (?) , n. [Gr. me`gas great + sto`ma mouth.] (Zo\'94l.) One of a group of univalve shells, having a large aperture or mouth.

Megathere, Megatherium <Xpage=909>

Meg"a*there (?) , Meg`a*the"ri*um (?) , n. [NL. megatherium , fr. Gr. me`gas great + thyri`on beast.] (Paleon.) An extinct gigantic quaternary mammal, allied to the ant-eaters and sloths. Its remains are found in South America.

Megatheroid <Xpage=909>

Meg`a*the"roid (?) , n. [ Megatherium + -oid .] (Paleon.) One of a family of extinct edentates found in America. The family includes the megatherium, the megalonyx, etc.

Megavolt <Xpage=909>

Meg`a*volt" (?) , n. [ Mega- + volt .] (Elec.) One of the larger measures of electro-motive force, amounting to one million volts.

Megaweber <Xpage=909>

Meg`a*we"ber (?) , n. [ Mega- + weber .] (Elec.) A million webers.

Megerg <Xpage=909>

Meg"erg` (?) , n. [ Mega- + erg .] (Physics) One of the larger measures of work, amounting to one million ergs; -- called also megalerg .

Megilp, Megilph <Xpage=909>

Me*gilp" (?) , Me*gilph" (?) , n. (Paint.) A gelatinous compound of linseed oil and mastic varnish, used by artists as a vehicle for colors. [Written also magilp , and magilph .]

Megohm <Xpage=909>

Meg"ohm" (?) , n. [ Mega- + ohm .] (Elec.) One of the larger measures of electrical resistance, amounting to one million ohms.

Megrim <Xpage=909>

Me"grim (?) , n. [OE. migrim , migrene , F. migraine , LL. hemigrania , L. hemicrania , hemicranium , Gr. <?/; <?/- half + <?/ skull. See Hemi- and Cranium , and cf. Hemicrania , Migraine .] 1. A kind of sick or nevrous headache, usually periodical and confined to one side of the head.

2. A fancy; a whim; a freak; a humor; esp., in the plural, lowness of spirits.

These are his megrims , firks, and melancholies. Ford.

3. pl. (Far.) A sudden vertigo in a horse, succeeded sometimes by unconsciousness, produced by an excess of blood in the brain; a mild form of apoplexy.

Youatt.

Megrim <Xpage=909>

Me"grim , n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zo\'94l.) The British smooth sole, or scaldfish ( Psetta arnoglossa ).

Meibomian <Xpage=909>

Mei*bo"mi*an (?) , a. (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or discovered by, Meibomius .

Meibomian glands , the slender sebaceous glands of the eyelids, which discharge, through minute orifices in the edges of the lids, a fatty secretion serving to lubricate the adjacent parts.

Meine <Xpage=909>

Meine (?) , v. t. See Menge .

Meine, Meiny <Xpage=909>

Mein"e , Mein"y , (<?/) , n. [OF. maisni\'82e , maisnie . See Menial .] 1. A family, including servants, etc.; household; retinue; train. [Obs.]

Chaucer. Shak.

2. Company; band; army. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Meiocene <Xpage=909>

Mei"o*cene (?) , a. (Geol.) See Miocene .

Meionite <Xpage=909>

Mei"o*nite (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ smaller. So called in a allusion to the low pyramids of the crystals.] (Min.) A member of the scapolite, group, occuring in glassy crystals on Monte Somma, near Naples.

Meiosis <Xpage=909>

Mei*o"sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to make smaller, from <?/. See Meionite .] (Rhet.) Diminution; a species of hyperbole, representing a thing as being less than it really is.

Melostemonous <Xpage=909>

Mel`o*stem"o*nous (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ smaller + <?/ warp, thread.] (Bot.) Having fever stamens than the parts of the corolla.

Meistersinger <Xpage=909>

Meis"ter*sing`er (?) , n. [G.] See Mastersinger .

Mekhitarist <Xpage=909>

Mekh"i*tar*ist (?) , n. (Ecc. Hist.) See Mechitarist .

Melaconite <Xpage=909>

Me*lac"o*nite (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ black + <?/ dust.] (Min.) An earthy black oxide of copper, arising from the decomposition of other ores.

Melada, Melado <Xpage=909>

Me*la"da (?) , Me*la"do (?) , n. [Sp., prop. p. p. of melar to sugar, candy, fr. L. mel honey. See Molasses .] A mixture of sugar and molasses; crude sugar as it comes from the pans without being drained.

Mel\'91na <Xpage=909>

Me*l\'91"na (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/, m., <?/, f., black.] (Med.) A discharge from the bowels of black matter, consisting of altered blood.

Melain <Xpage=909>

Mel"ain (?) , n. [See Mel <?/ na .] The dark coloring matter of the liquid of the cuttlefish.

Melainotype <Xpage=909>

Me*lai"no*type (?) , n. See Melanotype .

Melam <Xpage=909>

Me"lam (?) , n. [Cf. F. m\'82lam .] (Chem.) A white or buff-colored granular powder, <?/<?/<?/, obtained by heating ammonium sulphocyanate.

Melamine <Xpage=909>

Me*lam"ine (?) , n. (Chem.) A strong nitrogenous base, C3H6N6 , produced from several cyanogen compounds, and obtained as a white crystalline substance, -- formerly supposed to be produced by the decomposition of melam . Called also cyanuramide .

Melampode <Xpage=909>

Mel"am*pode (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; of uncertain origin.] The black hellebore. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Melampyrin, Melampyrite <Xpage=909>

Mel`am*py"rin (?) , Mel`am*py"rite (?) , n. [NL. Melampyrum cowwheat; Gr. <?/ black + <?/ wheat.] (Chem.) The saccharine substance dulcite; -- so called because found in the leaves of cowwheat ( Melampyrum ). See Dulcite .

Melan\'91mia <Xpage=909>

Mel`a*n\'91"mi*a (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/, -<?/, black + <?/ blood.] (Med.) A morbid condition in which the blood contains black pigment either floating freely or imbedded in the white blood corpuscles.

Melanagogue <Xpage=909>

Me*lan"a*gogue (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, black + <?/ leading, driving, <?/ to lead.] (Med.) A medicine supposed to expel black bile or choler. [Obs.]

Melancholia <Xpage=909>

Mel`an*cho"li*a (?) , n. [L. See Melancholy .] (Med.) A kind of mental unsoundness characterized by extreme depression of spirits, ill-grounded fears, delusions, and brooding over one particular subject or train of ideas.

Melancholian <Xpage=909>

Mel`an*cho"li*an (?) , n. A person affected with melancholy; a melancholic. [Obs.]

Dr. J. Scott.

Melancholic <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*chol`ic (?) , a. [L. melancholicus , Gr. <?/: cf. F. m\'82lancholique .] Given to melancholy; depressed; melancholy; dejected; unhappy.

Just as the melancholic eye Sees fleets and armies in the sky. Prior.

Melancholic <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*chol`ic , n. [Obs.] 1. One affected with a gloomy state of mind.

J. Spenser.

2. A gloomy state of mind; melancholy.

Clarendon.

Melancholily <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*chol`i*ly (?) , adv. In a melancholy manner.

Melancholiness <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*chol`i*ness , n. The state or quality of being melancholy.

Hallywell.

Melancholious <Xpage=909>

Mel`an*cho"li*ous (?) , a. [Cf. OF. melancholieux .] Melancholy. [R.]

Milton.

Melancholist <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*chol*ist (?) , n. One affected with melancholy or dejection. [Obs.]

Glanvill.

Melancholize <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*cho*lize (?) , v. i. To become gloomy or dejected in mind.

Barrow.

Melancholize <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*cho*lize , v. t. To make melancholy.

Melancholy <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*chol*y (?) , n. [OE. melancolie , F. m\'82lancolie , L. melancholia , fr. Gr. <?/; <?/, -<?/, black + <?/ gall, bile. See Malice , and 1st Gall .]

1. Depression of spirits; a gloomy state continuing a considerable time; deep dejection; gloominess.

Shak.

2. Great and continued depression of spirits, amounting to mental unsoundness; melancholia.

3. Pensive maditation; serious thoughtfulness. [Obs.] "Hail, divinest Melancholy !"

Milton.

4. Ill nature. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Melancholy <Xpage=909>

Mel"an*chol*y , a. 1. Depressed in spirits; dejected; gloomy dismal.

Shak.

2. Producing great evil and grief; causing dejection; calamitous; afflictive; as, a melancholy event .

3. Somewhat deranged in mind; having the jugment impaired. [Obs.]

Bp. Reynolds.

4. Favorable to meditation; somber.

A pretty, melancholy seat, well wooded and watered. Evelin.

Syn. -- Gloomy; sad; dispirited; low-spirited; downhearted; unhappy; hypochondriac; disconsolate; heavy, doleful; dismal; calamitous; afflictive.

Melanesian <Xpage=909>

Mel`a*ne"sian (?) , a. [Gr. <?/. -<?/, black + <?/ island. Melanesia was so called from the dark complexion of the natives.] Of or pertaining to Melanesia.

M\'82lange <Xpage=909>

M\'82`lange" (?) , n. [F. See Mell , Meddle .] A mixture; a medley.

Melanian <Xpage=909>

Me*la"ni*an (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) One of a family of fresh-water pectinibranchiate mollusks, having a turret-shaped shell.

Melanic <Xpage=909>

Me*lan"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/, -<?/, black.] 1. Melanotic.

2. (Ethnol.) Of or pertaining to the black-haired races.

Prichard.

Melaniline <Xpage=909>

Me*lan"i*line (?) , n. (Chem.) A complex nitrogenous hydrocarbon obtained artificially (as by the action of cyanogen chloride on aniline) as a white, crystalline substance; -- called also diphenyl guanidin .

Melanin <Xpage=909>

Mel"a*nin (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, -<?/, black.] (Physiol.) A black pigment found in the pigment-bearing cells of the skin (particularly in the skin of the negro), in the epithelial cells of the external layer of the retina (then called fuscin ), in the outer layer of the choroid, and elsewhere. It is supposed to be derived from the decomposition of hemoglobin.

<page="910"> Page 910

Melanism <Xpage=910>

Mel"a*nism (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ , <?/ , black.]

1. An indue development of dark-colored pigment in the skin or its appendages; -- the opposite of albinism .

2. (Med.) A disease; black jaundice. See Mel<?/na .

Melanistic <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*nis"tic (?) , a. Affected with melanism; of the nature of melanism.

Melanite <Xpage=910>

Mel"a*nite (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, black: cf. F. m\'82lanite .] (Min.) A black variety of garnet.

Melanochroi <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*noch"ro*i (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Melanochroic .] (Ethnol.) A group of the human race, including the dark whites.

Melanochroic <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*no*chro"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/; <?/, <?/, black + <?/ color.] Having a dark complexion; of or pertaining to the Melanochroi.

Melanochroite <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*no*chro"ite (?) , n. [See Melanochroic .] (Min.) A mineral of a red, or brownish or yellowish red color. It is a chromate of lead; -- called also ph\'d2nicocroite .

Melanocomous <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*noc"o*mous (?) , a. [Gr. <?/, <?/, black + <?/ hair.] Having very dark or black hair; black-haired.

Prichard.

Melanorrh\'d2a <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*nor*rh\'d2"a (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/, <?/, black + <?/ to flow.] (Bot.) An East Indian genus of large trees. Melanorrh&oe;a usitatissima is the lignum-vit\'91 of Peru, and yelds a valuable black varnish. <-- #"Peru" in original was "Pegu" -- must be an error, so changed here. -->

Melanoscope <Xpage=910>

Me*lan"o*scope (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, black + -scope .] (Opt.) An instrument containing a combination of colored glasses such that they transmit only red light, so that objects of other colors, as green leaves, appear black when seen through it. It is used for viewing colored flames, to detect the presence of potassium, lithium, etc., by the red light which they emit.

Melanosis <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*no"sis (?) , [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ a growing black, fr. <?/, <?/, black.] (Med.) The morbid deposition of black matter, often of a malignant character, causing pigmented tumors.

Melanosperm <Xpage=910>

Me*lan"o*sperm (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, black + <?/ seed.] (Bot.) An alga of any kind that produces blackish spores, or seed dust. The melanosperms include the rockweeds and all kinds of kelp. -- Mel`a*no*sper"mous (#) , a.

Melanotic <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*not"ic (?) , Melanistic.

Melanotype <Xpage=910>

Me*lan"o*type (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, black + -type .] (Photog.) A positive picture produced with sensitized collodion on a smooth surface of black varnish, coating a thin plate of iron; also, the process of making such a picture. [Written also melainotype .]

Melanterite <Xpage=910>

Me*lan"ter*ite (?) , n. (Min.) A hydrous sulphate of iron of a green color and vitreous luster; iron vitriol.

Melanure <Xpage=910>

Mel"a*nure (?) , n. [NL. melanurus , fr. Gr. <?/, <?/, black + <?/ tail.] (Zo\'94l.) A small fish of the Mediterranean; a gilthead. See Gilthead (a) .

Melanuric <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*nu"ric (?) , a. [ Melam + urea .] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a complex nitrogenous acid obtained by decomposition of melam, or of urea, as a white crystalline powder; -- called also melanurenic acid .

Melaphyre <Xpage=910>

Mel"a*phyre (?) , n. [F., fr. Gr. <?/, <?/, black + por phyre porphyry.] (Min.) Any one of several dark-colored augitic, eruptive rocks allied to basalt.

Melasma <Xpage=910>

Me*las"ma (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ black spot.] (Med.) A dark discoloration of the skin, usually local; as, Addison's melasma , or Addison's disease . -- Me*las"mic (#) , a.

Melasses <Xpage=910>

Me*las"ses (?) , n. See Molasses .

Melassic <Xpage=910>

Me*las"sic (?) , a. [See Molasses .] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from molasses or glucose, and probably identical with saccharic acid. See Saccharic .

Melastoma <Xpage=910>

Me*las"to*ma (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ black + <?/ mouth.] (Bot.) A genus of evergreen tropical shrubs; -- so called from the black berries of some species, which stain the mouth.

Melastomaceous <Xpage=910>

Mel`a*sto*ma"ceous (?) , a. (Bot.) Belonging to the order of which Melastoma is the type.

Melchite <Xpage=910>

Mel"chite (?) , n. [Heb. melek king.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect, chiefly in Syria and Egypt, which acknowledges the authority of the pope, but adheres to the liturgy and ceremonies of the Eastern Church.

Meleagrine <Xpage=910>

Mel`e*a"grine (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the genus Meleagris.

Meleagris <Xpage=910>

Mel`e*a"gris (?) , n. [L., the Guinea fowl.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of American gallinaceous birds, including the common and the wild turkeys.

M\'88l\'82e <Xpage=910>

M\'88`l\'82e" (?) , n. [F., fr. m\'88ler to mix. See Meddle , Mell , and cf. Mellay .] A fight in which the combatants are mingled<?/in one confused mass; a hand to hand conflict; an affray.

Melena <Xpage=910>

Me*le"na (?) , n. (Med.) See Mel<?/na .

Melene <Xpage=910>

Mel"ene (?) , n. [ Mel issic + ethyl ene .] (Chem.) An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C30H60 , of the ethylene series, obtained from beeswax as a white, scaly, crystalline wax; -- called also melissene , and melissylene .

Melenite <Xpage=910>

Mel"e*nite (?) , n. [Gr. me`li honey.] An explosive of great destructive power; -- so called from its color, which resembles honey.

Meletin <Xpage=910>

Mel"e*tin (?) , n. (Chem.) See Quercitin .

Melezitose <Xpage=910>

Me*lez"i*tose` (?) , n. [F. m\'82l\'8aze the larch + mel itose .] (Chem.) A variety of sugar, isomeric with sucrose, extracted from the manna of the larch ( Larix ). [Written also melicitose .]

Meliaceous <Xpage=910>

Me`li*a"ceous (?) , a. (Bot.) Pertaining to a natural order ( Meliac\'91 ) of plants of which the genus Melia is the type. It includes the mahogany and the Spanish cedar.

Melibean, Melib</an <Xpage=910>

Mel`i*be"an (?) , Mel`i*b<?/"an , a. [From L. Meliboeus , one of the interlocutors in Virgil's first Eclogue.] (Rhet.) Alternately responsive, as verses.

Melic <Xpage=910>

Mel"ic (?) , [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ song.] Of or pertaining to song; lyric; tuneful.

Melicerous <Xpage=910>

Me*lic"er*ous (?) , a. [L. meliceris a kind of tumor, fr. Gr. <?/; me`li honey + <?/ wax.] (Med.) Consisting of or containing matter like honey; -- said of certain encysted tumors.

Melic grass <Xpage=910>

Mel"ic grass` (?) . (Bot.) A genus of grasses ( Melica ) of little agricultural importance.

Melicotoon <Xpage=910>

Mel`i*co*toon" (?) , n. (Bot.) See Melocoton .

Melicratory <Xpage=910>

Me*lic"ra*to*ry (?) , n. [Gr. meli`kraton .] A meadlike drink. [Obs.]

Melilite <Xpage=910>

Mel"i*lite (?) , n. [Gr. me`li honey + -lite ; cf. F. m\'82lilithe .] (Min.) A mineral occurring in small yellow crystals, found in the lavas ( melilite basalt ) of Vesuvius, and elsewhere. [Written also mellilite .]

Melilot <Xpage=910>

Mel"i*lot (?) , n. [F. m\'82lilot , L. melilotus , fr. Gr. <?/, <?/, a kind of clover containing honey; me`li honey + <?/ lotus.] (Bot.) Any species of Melilotus , a genus of leguminous herbs having a vanillalike odor; sweet clover; hart's clover. The blue melilot ( Melilotus c\'91rulea ) is used in Switzerland to give color and flavor to sapsago cheese.

Melilotic <Xpage=910>