prop. n. A natural family of fowls including the turkeys and some extinct forms.
Syn. -- family Meleagrididae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the genus Meleagris. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖prop. n. [ L., the Guinea fowl. ] (Zool.) A genus of American gallinaceous birds, including the common turkey and the wild turkeys. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

‖n. [ F., fr. mêler to mix. See Meddle, Mell, and cf. Mellay. ] 1. A fight in which the combatants are mingled in one confused mass; a hand to hand conflict; an affray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A cavalry exercise in which two groups of riders try to cut paper plumes off the helmets of their opponents, the contest continuing until no member of one group retains his plume; -- sometimes called Balaklava mêlée. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. (Med.) See Melaena. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Melissic + ethylene. ] (Chem.) An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C30H60, of the ethylene series, obtained from beeswax as a white, scaly, crystalline wax; -- called also melissene, and melissylene. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`li honey. ] An explosive of great destructive power; -- so called from its color, which resembles honey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) See Quercitin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. mélèze the larch + melitose. ] (Chem.) A variety of sugar, isomeric with sucrose, extracted from the manna of the larch (Larix). [ Written also melicitose. ] [ 1913 Webster ]