Chapter 89

E"pact ("pkt), n. [F. épacte, fr. Gr. 'epakto`s brought on or in, added, fr. 'epa`gein to bring on or in; 'epi` on, in + 'a`gein to bring or lead. See Epi-, and Act.] (Chron.) The moon's age at the beginning of the calendar year, or the number of days by which the last new moon has preceded the beginning of the year.

Annual epact, the excess of the solar year over the lunar year, -- being eleven days. -- Menstrual epact, or Monthly epact, the excess of a calendar month over a lunar.

Ep`a*go"ge (?), n. [L., from Gr. 'epagwgh` a bringing in, fr. 'epa`gein. See Epact.] (Logic) The adducing of particular examples so as to lead to a universal conclusion; the argument by induction.

Ep`a*gog"ic (?), a. Inductive. Latham.

E*pal"ate (?), a. [Pref. e- + palpus.] (Zoöl.) Without palpi.

||Ep*an`a*di*plo"sis (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;; 'epi` + &?; to make double.] (Rhet.) A figure by which the same word is used both at the beginning and at the end of a sentence; as, "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Phil. iv. 4.

||Ep*an`a*lep"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;; 'epi` + &?; to take up.] (Rhet.) A figure by which the same word or clause is repeated after intervening matter. Gibbs.

||Ep`a*naph"o*ra (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?; a recurrence; 'epi` + &?; to bring or carry back.] (Rhet.) Same as Anaphora. Gibbs.

||Ep`a*nas"tro*phe (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; a return, epanastrophe; 'epi` + &?; to return.] (Rhet.) Same as Anadiplosis. Gibbs.

||E*pan"o*dos (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?; a rising, return; 'epi` + &?; a way up, rising; &?; up + &?; way.] (Rhet.) A figure of speech in which the parts of a sentence or clause are repeated in inverse order, as in the following: --

O more exceeding love, or law more just? Just law, indeed, but more exceeding love!

Milton.

E*pan"o*dy (?), n. [See Epanodos.] (Bot.) The abnormal change of an irregular flower to a regular form; -- considered by evolutionists to be a reversion to an ancestral condition.

||Ep`an*or*tho"sis (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;; 'epi` + &?; to set right again; &?; again + &?; to set straight.] A figure by which a speaker recalls a word or words, in order to substitute something else stronger or more significant; as, Most brave! Brave, did I say? most heroic act!

Ep*an"thous (?), a. [Pref. ep- + Gr. 'a`nqos flower.] (Bot.) Growing upon flowers; -- said of certain species of fungi.

Ep"arch (?), n. [Gr. &?;; 'epi` over + &?; chief, &?; supreme power, dominion.] In ancient Greece, the governor or perfect of a province; in modern Greece, the ruler of an eparchy.

Ep"arch*y (?), n. [Gr. &?; the post or office of an &?;.] A province, prefecture, or territory, under the jurisdiction of an eparch or governor; esp., in modern Greece, one of the larger subdivisions of a monarchy or province of the kingdom; in Russia, a diocese or archdiocese.

Ep`ar*te"ri*al (?), a. [Pref. ep- + arterial.] (Anat.) Situated upon or above an artery; -- applied esp. to the branches of the bronchi given off above the point where the pulmonary artery crosses the bronchus.

E*paule" (?), n. [F. épaule shoulder, shoulder of a bastion. See Epaulet, and cf. Spall the shoulder.] (Fort.) The shoulder of a bastion, or the place where its face and flank meet and form the angle, called the angle of the shoulder.

E*paule"ment (?), n. [F. épaulement.] (Fort.) A side work, made of gabions, fascines, or bags, filled with earth, or of earth heaped up, to afford cover from the flanking fire of an enemy.

{ Ep"au*let`, Ep"au*lette`} (?), n. [F. épaulette, dim. of épaule shoulder, fr. L. spatula a broad piece (LL., shoulder), dim. of spatha abroad, flat instrument, fr. Gr. &?;, also, a broad rib, shoulder blade. See Spade the instrument, and cf. Epaule, Spatula.] (Mil.) A shoulder ornament or badge worn by military and naval officers, differences of rank being marked by some peculiar form or device, as a star, eagle, etc.; a shoulder knot.

In the United States service the epaulet is reserved for full dress uniform. Its use was abolished in the British army in 1855.

{ Ep"au*let`ed, Ep"au*let`ted, } a. Wearing epaulets; decorated with epaulets.

Ep*ax"i*al (?), a. [Pref. ep- + axial.] (Anat.) Above, or on the dorsal side of, the axis of the skeleton; episkeletal.

||E*pei"ra (?), n. [NL.] (Zoöl.) A genus of spiders, including the common garden spider (E. diadema). They spin geometrical webs. See Garden spider.

Ep"en (?), n. (Anat.) See Epencephalon.

Ep`en*ce*phal"ic (?), a. (Anat.) (a) Pertaining to the epencephalon. (b) Situated on or over the brain.

||Ep`en*ceph"a*lon (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. 'epi` upon, near + &?; brain.] (Anat.) The segment of the brain next behind the midbrain, including the cerebellum and pons; the hindbrain. Sometimes abbreviated to epen.

||Ep*en"dy*ma (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; an upper garment; 'epi` upon + &?; a garment; &?; in + &?; to put on.] (Anat.) The epithelial lining of the ventricles of the brain and the canal of the spinal cord; endyma; ependymis.

||Ep*en"dy*mis (?), n. [NL.] See Ependyma.

Ep`e*net"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, from &?; to praise; 'epi` + &?; to praise.] Bestowing praise; eulogistic; laudatory. [Obs.] E. Phillips.

||E*pen"the*sis (?), n.; pl. Epentheses (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?;; 'epi` + &?; to put or set in.] (Gram.) The insertion of a letter or a sound in the body of a word; as, the b in "nimble" from AS. nmol.

Ep`en*thet"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;: cf. F. épenthétique.] (Gram.) Inserted in the body of a word; as, an epenthetic letter or sound.

||É`pergne" (?), n. [F. épargne a sparing or saving; a treasury. "Our épergne is a little treasury of sweetmeats, fruits, and flowers." Brewer.] A centerpiece for table decoration, usually consisting of several dishes or receptacles of different sizes grouped together in an ornamental design.

||É`per`lan" (?), n. [F. éperlan, fr. G. spierling. See Sparling.] (Zoöl.) The European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus).

||Ep*ex`e*ge"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; detailed narrative, fr. &?; to recount in detail; 'epi` + &?; to lead, point out. See Exegesis.] A full or additional explanation; exegesis.

Ep*ex`e*get"ic*al (?), a. Relating to epexegesis; explanatory; exegetical.

{ E"phah (?), or E"pha}, n. [Heb. 'phh.] A Hebrew dry measure, supposed to be equal to two pecks and five quarts. ten ephahs make one homer.

||E*phem"e*ra (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a day fly, fr. &?; daily, lasting but a day; &?; over + &?; day.] 1. (Med.) A fever of one day's continuance only.

2. (Zoöl.) A genus of insects including the day flies, or ephemeral flies. See Ephemeral fly, under Ephemeral.

E*phem"er*al (?), a. 1. Beginning and ending in a day; existing only, or no longer than, a day; diurnal; as, an ephemeral flower.

2. Short-lived; existing or continuing for a short time only. "Ephemeral popularity." V. Knox.

Sentences not of ephemeral, but of eternal, efficacy.

Sir J. Stephen.

Ephemeral fly (Zoöl.), one of a group of neuropterous insects, belonging to the genus Ephemera and many allied genera, which live in the adult or winged state only for a short time. The larvæ are aquatic; -- called also day fly and May fly.

E*phem"er*al, n. Anything lasting but a day, or a brief time; an ephemeral plant, insect, etc.

E*phem"er*an (?), n. (Zoöl.) One of the ephemeral flies.

E*phem"e*ric (?), a. Ephemeral.

E*phem"e*ris (?), n.; pl. Ephemerides (#). [L., a diary, Gr. &?;, also, a calendar, fr. &?;. See Ephemera.] 1. A diary; a journal. Johnson.

2. (Anat.) (a) A publication giving the computed places of the heavenly bodies for each day of the year, with other numerical data, for the use of the astronomer and navigator; an astronomical almanac; as, the "American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac." (b) Any tabular statement of the assigned places of a heavenly body, as a planet or comet, on several successive days.

3. (Literature) A collective name for reviews, magazines, and all kinds of periodical literature. Brande & C.

E*phem"er*ist (?), n. 1. One who studies the daily motions and positions of the planets. Howell.

2. One who keeps an ephemeris; a journalist.

||E*phem"e*ron (?), n.; pl. Ephemera (#). [NL. See Ephemera.] (Zoöl.) One of the ephemeral flies.

E*phem"er*ous (?), a. Ephemeral. [R.] Burke.

E*phe"sian (?; 106), a. [L. Ephesius: cf. F. éphésien.] Of or pertaining to Ephesus, an ancient city of Ionia, in Asia Minor.

E*phe"sian, n. 1. A native of Ephesus.

2. A jolly companion; a roisterer. [Obs.] Shak.

||Eph`i*al"tes (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, lit., one who leaps upon.] The nightmare. Brande & C.

E*phip"pi*al (?), a. Saddle- shaped; occupying an ephippium. Dana.

||E*phip"pi*um (?), n. [L., saddle cloth, fr. Gr. &?;; 'epi` on + "i`ppos horse.] 1. (Anat.) A depression in the sphenoid bone; the pituitary fossa.

2. (Zoöl.) A saddle-shaped cavity to contain the winter eggs, situated on the back of Cladocera.

Eph"od (?), n. [Heb. 'phd, fr. 'phad to put on.] (Jew. Antiq.) A part of the sacerdotal habit among Jews, being a covering for the back and breast, held together on the shoulders by two clasps or brooches of onyx stones set in gold, and fastened by a girdle of the same stuff as the ephod. The ephod for the priests was of plain linen; that for the high priest was richly embroidered in colors. The breastplate of the high priest was worn upon the ephod in front. Exodus xxviii. 6-12.

Eph"or (?), n.; pl. Ephors (#), L. Ephori (#). [L. ephorus, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to oversee; &?; + &?; to see: cf. F. éphore.] (Gr. Antiq.) A magistrate; one of a body of five magistrates chosen by the people of ancient Sparta. They exercised control even over the king.

Eph"or*al (?), a. Pertaining to an ephor.

Eph"or*al*ty (?), n. The office of an ephor, or the body of ephors.

E"phra*im (?), n. [The proper name.] (Zoöl.) A hunter's name for the grizzly bear.

||Eph"y*ra (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, an old name of Corinth.] (Zoöl.) A stage in the development of discophorous medusæ, when they first begin to swim about after being detached from the strobila. See Strobila.

||Ep"i- (?). [Gr. 'epi` on, upon, to; akin to Skr. api besides, and prob. to L. ob to, before, on account of, and perh. to E. of, off.] A prefix, meaning upon, beside, among, on the outside, above, over. It becomes ep-before a vowel, as in epoch, and eph-before a Greek aspirate, as in ephemeral.

Ep"i*blast (?), n. [Pref. epi- + -blast.] (Biol.) The outer layer of the blastoderm; the ectoderm. See Blastoderm, Delamination.

Ep`i*blas"tic (?), a. (Biol.) Of or relating to, or consisting of, the epiblast.

||Ep`i*ble"ma (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a cover; &?; over + &?; to throw.] (Bot.) The epidermal cells of rootlets, specially adapted to absorb liquids. Goodale.

Ep`i*bol"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; to throw upon, add to; 'epi` upon + &?; to throw.] (Biol.) Growing or covering over; -- said of a kind of invagination. See under Invagination.

E*pib"o*ly (?), n. [Cf. Gr. &?; a throwing upon.] (Biol.) Epibolic invagination. See under Invagination.

Ep`i*bran"chi*al (?), a. [Pref. epi- + branchial.] (Anat.) Pertaining to the segment between the ceratobranchial and pharyngobranchial in a branchial arch. -- n. An epibranchial cartilage or bone.

Ep"ic (?), a. [L. epicus, Gr. &?;, from &?; a word, speech, tale, song; akin to L. vox voice: cf. F. épique. See Voice.] Narrated in a grand style; pertaining to or designating a kind of narrative poem, usually called an heroic poem, in which real or fictitious events, usually the achievements of some hero, are narrated in an elevated style.

The epic poem treats of one great, complex action, in a grand style and with fullness of detail.

T. Arnold.

Ep"ic, n. An epic or heroic poem. See Epic, a.

Ep"ic*al (&?;), a. Epic. -- Ep"ic*al*ly, adv.

Poems which have an epical character.

Brande & C.

His [Wordsworth's] longer poems (miscalled epical).

Lowell.

Ep`i*car"di*ac (?), a. (Anat.) Of or relating to the epicardium.

||Ep`i*car"di*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. 'epi` upon + kardi`a heart.] (Anat.) That part of the pericardium which forms the outer surface of the heart; the cardiac pericardium.

Ep`i*car"i*dan (?), n. [Pref. epi- + Gr. &?;, &?;, a shrimp.] (Zoöl.) An isopod crustacean, parasitic on shrimps.

Ep"i*carp (?), [Pref. epi- + Gr. &?; fruit.] (Bot.) The external or outermost layer of a fructified or ripened ovary. See Illust. under Endocarp.

Ep"i*cede (?), n. [L. epicedion, Gr. &?; dirge, elegy, fr. &?; funereal; &?; + &?; care, sorrow: cf. F. épicède.] A funeral song or discourse; an elegy. [R.] Donne.

Ep`i*ce"di*al (?), a. Elegiac; funereal.

Ep`i*ce"di*an (?), a. Epicedial. -- n. An epicede.

||Ep`i*ce"di*um (?), n. [L.] An epicede.

Ep"i*cene (?), a. & n. [L. epicoenus, Gr. &?;; fr. 'epi` + &?; common; cf. F. épicène.] 1. Common to both sexes; -- a term applied, in grammar, to such nouns as have but one form of gender, either the masculine or feminine, to indicate animals of both sexes; as boy^s, bos, for the ox and cow; sometimes applied to eunuchs and hermaphrodites.

2. Fig.: Sexless; neither one thing nor the other.

The literary prigs epicene.

Prof. Wilson.

He represented an epicene species, neither churchman nor layman.

J. A. Symonds.

Ep`i*cen"tral (?), a. [Pref. epi- + centrum.] (Anat.) Arising from the centrum of a vertebra. Owen.

Ep`i*ce*ras"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; tempering the humors; 'epi` + &?; to mix: cf. F. épicérastique.] (Med.) Lenient; assuaging. [Obs.]

||Ep`i*chi*re"ma (?), n.; pl. Epichiremata (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?;, from &?; to attempt to prove.] (Rhet. & Logic) A syllogism in which the proof of the major or minor premise, or both, is introduced with the premises themselves, and the conclusion is derived in the ordinary manner. [Written also epicheirema.]

Ep`i*chor"dal (?), a. [Pref. epi- + chordal.] (Anat.) Upon or above the notochord; -- applied esp. to a vertebral column which develops upon the dorsal side of the notochord, as distinguished from a perichordal column, which develops around it.

Ep`i*cho"ri*al (?), a. [Gr. &?;; &?; over + &?; country.] In or of the country. [R.]

Epichorial superstitions from every district of Europe.

De Quincey.

||Ep`i*clei"di*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. 'epi` upon + &?; a little key.] (Anat.) A projection, formed by a separate ossification, at the scapular end of the clavicle of many birds.

Ep`i*cli"nal (?), a. [Pref. epi- + Gr. &?; a couch.] (Bot.) Situated on the receptacle or disk of a flower.

<! p. 501 !>

Ep"i*c/'d2le (p"*sl), n. [Pref. epi- + Gr. koi^lon a hollow.] (Anat.) A cavity formed by the invagination of the outer wall of the body, as the atrium of an amphioxus and possibly the body cavity of vertebrates.

Ep"i*cœne (?), a. Epicene. [R.] Hadley.

Ep`i*col"ic (?), a. [Pref. epi- + Gr. &?; colon.] (Anat.) Situated upon or over the colon; -- applied to the region of the abdomen adjacent to the colon.

Ep`i*con"dy*lar (?), n. (Anat.) Pertaining to, or resembling, an epicondyle.

Ep`i*con"dyle (?), n. [Pref. epi- + condyle.] (Anat.) A projection on the inner side of the distal end of the humerus; the internal condyle.

Ep`i*cor"a*coid (?), n. [Pref. epi- + coracoid.] (Anat.) A ventral cartilaginous or bony element of the coracoid in the shoulder girdle of some vertebrates.

Ep`i*cra"ni*al (?), a. (Anat.) Pertaining to the epicranium; as, epicranial muscles.

||Ep`i*cra"ni*um (?), n. [NL. See Epi-, and Cranium.] 1. (Anat.) The upper and superficial part of the head, including the scalp, muscles, etc.

2. (Zoöl.) The dorsal wall of the head of insects.

Ep`ic*te"tian (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; Epictetus.] Pertaining to Epictetus, the Roman Stoic philosopher, whose conception of life was to be passionless under whatever circumstances.

Ep"i*cure (?), n. [L. Epicurus, Gr. &?;, a famous Greek philosopher, who has been regarded, but erroneously, as teaching a doctrine of refined voluptuousness.] 1. A follower of Epicurus; an Epicurean. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. One devoted to dainty or luxurious sensual enjoyments, esp. to the luxuries of the table.

Syn. -- Voluptuary; sensualist.

Ep`i*cu*re"an (?; 277), a. [L. Epicureus, Gr. &?;: cf. épicurien.] 1. Pertaining to Epicurus, or following his philosophy. "The sect Epicurean." Milton.

2. Given to luxury; adapted to luxurious tastes; luxurious; pertaining to good eating.

Courses of the most refined and epicurean dishes.

Prescott.

Epicurean philosophy. See Atomic philosophy, under Atomic.

Ep`i*cu*re"an, n. 1. A follower or Epicurus.

2. One given to epicurean indulgence.

Ep`i*cu*re"an*ism (?), n. Attachment to the doctrines of Epicurus; the principles or belief of Epicurus.

Ep"i*cure`ly (?), adv. Luxuriously. Nash.

Ep`i*cu*re"ous (?), a. Epicurean. [Obs.]

Ep"i*cu*rism (?), n. [Cf. F. épicurisme.] 1. The doctrines of Epicurus.

2. Epicurean habits of living; luxury.

Ep"i*cu*rize (?), v. i. 1. To profess or tend towards the doctrines of Epicurus. Cudworth.

2. To feed or indulge like an epicure. Fuller.

Ep"i*cy`cle (?), n. [L. epicyclus, Gr. &?;; 'epi` upon + &?; circle. See Cycle.] 1. (Ptolemaic Astron.) A circle, whose center moves round in the circumference of a greater circle; or a small circle, whose center, being fixed in the deferent of a planet, is carried along with the deferent, and yet, by its own peculiar motion, carries the body of the planet fastened to it round its proper center.

The schoolmen were like astronomers which did feign eccentrics, and epicycles, and such engines of orbs.

Bacon.

2. (Mech.) A circle which rolls on the circumference of another circle, either externally or internally.

Ep`i*cyc"lic (?), a. Pertaining to, resembling, or having the motion of, an epicycle.

Epicyclic train (Mach.), a train of mechanism in which epicyclic motion is involved; esp., a train of spur wheels, bevel wheels, or belt pulleys, in which an arm, carrying one or more of the wheels, sweeps around a center lying in an axis common to the other wheels.

Ep`i*cy"cloid (?), n. [Epicycle + -oid: cf. F. épicycloïde.] (Geom.) A curve traced by a point in the circumference of a circle which rolls on the convex side of a fixed circle.

Any point rigidly connected with the rolling circle, but not in its circumference, traces a curve called an epitrochoid. The curve traced by a point in the circumference of the rolling circle when it rolls on the concave side of a fixed circle is called a hypocycloid; the curve traced by a point rigidly connected with the rolling circle in this case, but not its circumference, is called a hypotrochoid. All the curves mentioned above belong to the class class called roulettes or trochoids. See Trochoid.

Ep`i*cy*cloid"al (?), a. Pertaining to the epicycloid, or having its properties.

Epicycloidal wheel, a device for producing straight-line motion from circular motion, on the principle that a pin fastened in the periphery of a gear wheel will describe a straight line when the wheel rolls around inside a fixed internal gear of twice its diameter.

Ep`i*deic"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to show forth, display; 'epi` + &?; to show. Cf. Epidictic.] Serving to show forth, explain, or exhibit; - - applied by the Greeks to a kind of oratory, which, by full amplification, seeks to persuade.

{ Ep`i*dem"ic (?), Ep`i*dem"ic*al (?), } a. [L. epidemus, Gr. &?;, &?;, among the people, epidemic; &?; in + &?; people: cf. F. épidémique. Cf. Demagogue.] 1. (Med.) Common to, or affecting at the same time, a large number in a community; -- applied to a disease which, spreading widely, attacks many persons at the same time; as, an epidemic disease; an epidemic catarrh, fever, etc. See Endemic.

2. Spreading widely, or generally prevailing; affecting great numbers, as an epidemic does; as, epidemic rage; an epidemic evil.

It was the epidemical sin of the nation.

Bp. Burnet.

Ep`i*dem"ic (?), n. [Cf. Epidemy.] 1. (Med.) An epidemic disease.

2. Anything which takes possession of the minds of people as an epidemic does of their bodies; as, an epidemic of terror.

Ep`i*dem"ic*al*ly, adv. In an epidemic manner.

Ep`i*de`mi*og"ra*phy (?), n. [Epidemy + -graphy.] (Med.) A treatise upon, or history of, epidemic diseases.

Ep`i*de`mi*o*log"ic*al (?), a. Connected with, or pertaining to, epidemiology.

Ep`i*de`mi*ol"o*gist (?), n. A person skilled in epidemiology.

Ep`i*de`mi*ol"o*gy (?), n. [Epidemy + -logy.] (Med.) That branch of science which treats of epidemics.

Ep"i*dem`y (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?;: cf. F. épidémie. See Epidemic.] (Med.) An epidemic disease. Dunglison.

Ep"i*derm (?), n. [Cf. F. épiderme. See Epidermis.] (Anat.) The epidermis.

Ep`i*der"mal (?), a. Of or pertaining to the epidermis; epidermic; cuticular.

Ep`i*der*mat"ic (?), a. Epidermal. [R.]

Ep`i*der"ma*toid (?), a. [Gr. 'epi` upon + de`rma, -atos, skin + -oid. Cf. Epidermoid.] (Anat.) Epidermoid. Owen.

Ep`i*der"me*ous (?), a. Epidermal. [R.]

Ep`i*der"mic (?), a. [Cf. F. épidermique.] Epidermal; connected with the skin or the bark.

Epidermic administration of medicine (Med.), the application of medicine to the skin by friction.

Ep`i*der"mic*al (?), a. Epidermal. [R.]

Ep`i*der"mi*dal (?), a. Epidermal. [R.]

Ep`i*der"mis (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;; &?; over + &?; skin, fr. &?; to skin. See Tear, v. t.] 1. (Anat.) The outer, nonsensitive layer of the skin; cuticle; scarfskin. See Dermis.

2. (Bot.) The outermost layer of the cells, which covers both surfaces of leaves, and also the surface of stems, when they are first formed. As stems grow old this layer is lost, and never replaced.

Ep`i*der"moid (?), a. [Cf. F. épidermoïde.] (Anat.) Like epidermis; pertaining to the epidermis.

Ep`i*der"mose (?), n. [See Epidermis.] (Physiol. Chem.) Keratin.

{ Ep`i*dic"tic (?), Ep`i*dic"tic*al (?), } a. [L. epidictius. See Epideictic.] Serving to explain; demonstrative.

||Ep`i*did"y*mis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;; 'epi` upon + &?; testicle.] (Anat.) An oblong vermiform mass on the dorsal side of the testicle, composed of numerous convolutions of the excretory duct of that organ. -- Ep`i*did"y*mal (#), a.

||Ep`i*did`y*mi"tis (?), n. [NL. See Epididymis, and -itis.] (Med.) Inflammation of the epididymis, one of the common results of gonorrhea.

Ep"i*dote (?), n. [Gr. &?; to give besides; &?; over + &?; to give: cf. F. épidote. So named from the enlargement of the base of the primary, in some of the secondary forms.] (Min.) A mineral, commonly of a yellowish green (pistachio) color, occurring granular, massive, columnar, and in monoclinic crystals. It is a silicate of alumina, lime, and oxide of iron, or manganese.

The Epidote group includes ordinary epidote, zoisite or lime epidote, piedmontite or manganese epidote, allanite or cerium epidote.

Ep`i*dot"ic (?),, a. Related to, resembling, or containing epidote; as, an epidotic granite.

||Ep`i*gæ"a (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. 'epi` upon + &?; earth.] (Bot.) An American genus of plants, containing but a single species (E. repens), the trailing arbutus.

Ep`i*gæ"ous (?), a. [Gr. &?;. See Epigæa, and cf. Epigee.] (Bot.) Growing on, or close to, the ground.

Ep`i*gas"tri*al (?), a. (Anat.) Epigastric.

Ep`i*gas"tric (?), a. [Gr. &?; over the belly; 'epi` upon + &?; belly: cf. F. épigastrique.] 1. (Anat.) Pertaining to the epigastrium, or to the epigastric region.

2. (Zoöl.) Over the stomach; -- applied to two of the areas of the carapace of crabs.

Epigastric region. (Anat.) (a) The whole upper part of the abdomen. (b) An arbitrary division of the abdomen above the umbilical and between the two hypochondriac regions.

Ep`i*gas"tri*um (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?;.] (Anat.) The upper part of the abdomen.

Ep`i*ge"al (?), a. (Bot.) Epigæous. [R.]

Ep"i*gee (?), n. [NL. epigeum, fr. Gr. &?; upon the earth. See Epigæa.] See Perigee. [Obs.]

Ep"i*gene (?), a. [Pref. epi- + Gr. &?; to be born, grow.] 1. (Crystallog.) Foreign; unnatural; unusual; -- said of forms of crystals not natural to the substances in which they are found.

2. (Geol.) Formed originating on the surface of the earth; -- opposed to hypogene; as, epigene rocks.