Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ep'i·cē'di·ūm, n. p. 456An elegy; an epiced.Ep'i·cēne, a. or n. p. 456Common 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 βούς, bos, for the ox and cow.…Ĕp'/i-ce-rās'/tic, a. p. 456Lenient; assuaging.Ep'i·chī-rē'mā, n. p. 456(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.Ep'i-cōl'ic, a. p. 456(Anat.) Lying over and on each side of the colon; as, the epicolic regions. Dunglison.Ep'ic-tē'tian, a. p. 456Pertaining to Epictetus, a Stoic philosopher in the time of the Roman emperor Domitian. Arbuthnot.Ĕp'i-cūre, n. p. 456A follower of Epicurus; hence, one who is devoted to sensual enjoyments; especially, one who indulges in the luxuries of the table. Syn.—Voluptuary: sensualist.Ēp’ī-cū’re-an or Ēp’ī-cu-rē’an, a. p. 456Pertaining to Epicurus, or following his philosophy. “The sect Epicurean.” Milton. 2. Given to luxury; adapted to luxurious tastes; luxurious. Courses of the most refined and epicurean dishes.…Ĕp'ĭ-cū're-an or Ĕp'ĭ-cu-rē'an, n. p. 456A follower of Epicurus. 2. One given to the luxuries of the table.Ep'i-cū're-an-izm, n. p. 456Attachment to the doctrines of Epicurus; the principles or belief of Epicurus.Ep'i-cū're-oŭs, a. p. 456Epicurean. [Obs.] Bp. Gardner.Ĕp'ĭ-kū-rĭzm, n. p. 456The doctrines of Epicurus. 2. Sensual enjoyments; indulgences in gross pleasure; voluptuousness.Ĕp’i-eu-rīze, v. i. p. 456To profess the doctrines of Epicurus. Cudworth. 2. To feed or indulge like an epicure; to riot; to feast. Fuller.Ĕp'ĭ-cy'cle, n. p. 456(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…Ĕp'/i-cy'cloid, n. p. 456(Geom.) A curve generated by a point in the circumference of a movable circle, which rolls on the inside or outside of the circumference of a fixed circle, as by the point a or a' in the circle A or…Ep'i-cy-cloid'al, a. p. 456Pertaining to the epicycloid, or having its properties. Epicycloidal wheel, a contrivance for securing parallel motion in converting reciprocating motion into circular, depending on the principle…Ep′i-deic′tic, a. p. 456Serving to show forth, explain, or exhibit; — applied by the Greeks to a kind of oratory, which, by full amplification, seeks to persuade.Ĕp'/i-dĕm'/ic or Ĕp'/i-dĕm'/ic-al, a. p. 456<br>1. Common to, or affecting, a whole people, or a great number in a community; prevalent; general.<br>It was the epidemical sin of the nation. Burnet.<br>2. Generally prevailing; affecting great…Ĕp'i-dĕm'ic, n. p. 456(Med.) A disease which, arising from a wide-spread cause, affects numbers of persons at the same time.Ĕp'i-dĕm'ĭc-al-ly, adv. p. 456In an epidemical manner.Ĕp'i-dē'mi-ŏg'ra-phy, n. p. 456(Med.) A treatise upon, or history of, epidemic diseases.Ĕp′/i-dē′mi-o-lŏg′ĭc-al, a. p. 456Pertaining or belonging to epidemiology.Ĕp′/i-dē′mi-ŏl′o-gy, n. p. 456(Med.) That branch of medical science which treats of epidemics.Ĕp'i-dēm'y, n. p. 456(Med.) A prevailing, common, or general disease, not dependent on local causes. Dunglison.Ēp'ĭ-dĕn'drum, n. p. 456(Bot.) A genus of orchidaceous epiphytes, usually found growing upon the branches of trees. They are, for the most part, confined to South America.Ep'i-dĕrm, n. p. 456The same as EPIDERMIS.Ĕp'i-dĕrm'al, a. p. 456Pertaining to the scarf-skin or bark. Gray.Ĕp′i-dĕrm′a-toid, a. p. 456Resembling the epiderm; pertaining to the epiderm. R. Owen.Ep’i-dérm’e-oüs, a. p. 456Epidermic.Ep'i-dĕrm'ic or Ep'i-dĕrm'i-dal, a. p. 456Pertaining to, or like, the epidermis; covering the skin or bark.Ĕp'ĭ-dĕrm'is, n. p. 456(Anat.) The cuticle or scarf-skin of the body; the outer layer of the skin of animals. It is composed of distinct, minute cells or scales, which, by their adherence, form a continuous investment to…Ĕp'i-dērm'oid, a. p. 456Epidermatoid.Ep'i-diet'ic, a. p. 456Serving to explain. See EPIDEICTIC.Ĕp'i-did'y-mis, n. p. 456(Anat.) A small, oblong, vermiform, grayish body, lying along the superior margin of the testicle, and consisting of a long canal formed by the union of all the seminiferous vessels folded several…Ep'i-dōte, n. p. 456(Min.) A mineral of yellowish-green, brownish-green, brown, and ash-gray colors, occurring both granular, massive, columnar, and in monoclinic crystals. It is quite hard, and is vitreous in luster.…Ep'i-dōt'ic, a. p. 456Pertaining to epidote, or containing it.Ep'i-gæ'ă, n. p. 456(Bot.) A genus of plants, containing but a single species (E. repens), an American plant which blossoms early in the spring, producing beautiful and fragrant flowers; trailing arbutus; —called also…Ep'i-gæ'oid's, a. p. 456(Bot.) Growing on the earth, or close to the ground. Gray.Ep'i-gās'tri-al or Ep'i-gās'tric, a. p. 456(Anat.) Pertaining to the upper and anterior part of the abdomen; as, the epigastric region; the epigastric arteries and veins. Quincy.Ĕp'ĭ-gās'tri-ŭm, n. p. 456(Anat.) The upper part of the abdomen.Ep′i-gās′trō-cēle, n. p. 456(Med.) Hernia of the stomach, or in the region of the stomach, whether of the stomach itself or of the adjacent parts.Ep'i-gē'al, a. p. 456Epigæous.Ĕp'i-gēe or Ĕp'i-gē'um, n. p. 456Same as PERIGEE, q. v.Ep'i-gēne, a. p. 456(Crystallog.) Foreign; unnatural; unusual; —said of forms of crystals not natural to the substances in which they are found. 2. (Geol.) Formed or originating on the surface of the earth; —opposed to…Ēp'i-gēn'e-sis, n. p. 456(Physiol.) The theory of conception which holds that the germ is created entirely new, not merely expanded, by the procreative power of the parents. It is opposed to the theory of evolution.…Ĕp'ĭ-gĕn'ĕ-sĭst, n. p. 456One who believes in or advocates the theory of epigenesis. Ogilvie.Ep′i-gē′ous, a. p. 456The same as EPIGEOUS.Ep'i-glŏt'tic, a. p. 456Belonging or relating to the epiglottis.Ĕp'i-glōt'tis, n. p. 456(Anat.) One of the cartilages of the larynx, whose use is to protect the glottis, when food or drink is passing into the stomach, to prevent it from entering the larynx and obstructing the breath.Ĕp'i-grăm, n. p. 456A short poem treating only of one thing, and ending with some lively, ingenious, and natural thought. Dost thou think that I care for a satire or an epigram? Shak. ☞ Epigrams were originally…Ĕp'i-gram-măt'ic or Ĕp'i-gram-măt'ic-al, a. p. 456Writing epigrams; dealing in epigrams; as, an epigrammatic poet. 2. Suitable to epigrams; belonging to epigrams; like an epigram; concise; pointed; poignant; as, epigrammatic style or wit.Ĕp'i-gram-măt'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 456In the way of epigram; in an epigrammatic style.Ĕp'i-grām'ma-tīst, n. p. 456One who composes epigrams, or makes use of them. “The conceit of the epigrammatist.” Fuller.Ĕp'i-grām'ma-tize, v. t. p. 456To represent by epigrams; to express by epigrams.Ĕp'i-grām'ma-tiz'er, n. p. 456One who writes in an affectedly pointed style. One of the first corrupters and epigrammatizers of our English prose style. Coleridge.Ep'i-grāph, n. p. 457An inscription on a building denoting its use, sometimes made part of the ornamental details of the construction. Fairholt. 2. (Lit.) A citation from some author, or a sentence framed for the…Ep’i-grăph’ics, n. sing. p. 457The science or study of epigraphs. [R.] [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]E-pĭg'ra-phist, n. p. 457A student of, or one versed in, epigraphy. Questions belonging rather to the antiquary and the epigraphist. Mure.E-pĭg'ra-phy, n. p. 457The science of inscriptions; that branch of knowledge which deals with the decipherment and explanation of inscriptions.E-pĭg'y-noŭs, a. p. 457(Bot.) United both with the surface of the calyx and of the ovary; — said of stamens.