%melan%

n. [ Gr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale + me`las, me`laina, black. ] (Min.) An iron-potash mica, of a raven-black color, usually found in granitic rocks in small six-sided tables, or as an aggregation of minute opaque scales. See Mica. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.), Any of several malignant neoplasms (usually of the skin) consisting of melanocytes; called also melanoma. It is classed as a type of skin cancer. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black + a"i^ma blood.] (Med.) A morbid condition in which the blood contains black pigment either floating freely or imbedded in the white blood corpuscles. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black + &unr_; leading, driving, &unr_; to lead. ] (Med.) A medicine supposed to expel black bile or choler. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person affected with melancholy; a melancholic. [ Obs. ] Dr. J. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. melancholicus, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. mélancholique. ] Given to melancholy; depressed; melancholy; dejected; unhappy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Just as the melancholic eye
Sees fleets and armies in the sky. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Obs. ] 1. One affected with a gloomy state of mind. J. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A gloomy state of mind; melancholy. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a melancholy manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being melancholy. Hallywell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. OF. melancholieux. ] Melancholy. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One affected with melancholy or dejection. [ Obs. ] Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become gloomy or dejected in mind. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make melancholy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. melancolie, F. mélancolie, L. melancholia, fr. Gr. &unr_;; me`las, me`lanos, black + &unr_; gall, bile. See Malice, and 1st Gall. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Depression of spirits; a gloomy state continuing a considerable time; deep dejection; gloominess. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Great and continued depression of spirits, amounting to mental unsoundness; melancholia. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Pensive maditation; serious thoughtfulness. [ Obs. ] “Hail, divinest Melancholy !” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Ill nature. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Depressed in spirits; dejected; gloomy dismal. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Producing great evil and grief; causing dejection; calamitous; afflictive; as, a melancholy event. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Somewhat deranged in mind; having the jugment impaired. [ Obs. ] Bp. Reynolds. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Favorable to meditation; somber. [ 1913 Webster ]

A pretty, melancholy seat, well wooded and watered. Evelin. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Gloomy; sad; dispirited; low-spirited; downhearted; unhappy; hypochondriac; disconsolate; heavy, doleful; dismal; calamitous; afflictive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ NL. ] (Bot.) A family of fungi constituting the order Melanconiales. -- Mel`an*co`ni*a"ceous a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. pl. [ NL., fr. Melanconium, name of the typical genus, fr. Gr. me`las black + &unr_; dust, in allusion to the dark spores. ] (Bot.) The smallest of the three orders of Fungi Imperfecti, including those with no asci nor pycnidia, but as a rule having the spores in cavities without special walls. They cause many of the plant diseases known as anthracnose. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

prop. a. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black + &unr_; island. Melanesia was so called from the dark complexion of the natives. ] Of or pertaining to Melanesia. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. See Mell, Meddle. ] A mixture; a medley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of a family of fresh-water pectinibranchiate mollusks, having a turret-shaped shell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. me`las, -anos, black. ] 1. Melanotic. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Ethnol.) Of or pertaining to the black-haired races. Prichard. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`las, -anos, black. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. An undue development of dark-colored pigment in the skin or its appendages; -- the opposite of albinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) A disease; black jaundice. See Melaena. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Ethnol.) The character of having a high degree of pigmentation, as shown in dark skin, eyes, and hair. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Affected with melanism; of the nature of melanism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black: cf. F. mélanite. ] (Min.) A black variety of garnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Melanochroic. ] (Ethnol.) A group of the human race, including the dark whites. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. melana`chroos; me`las, -anos, black + chroa` color. ] Having a dark complexion; of or pertaining to the Melanochroi. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Melanochroic. ] (Min.) A mineral of a red, or brownish or yellowish red color. It is a chromate of lead; -- called also phoenicocroite. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black + &unr_; hair. ] Having very dark or black hair; black-haired. Prichard. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; L. pl. -nomata /plu>. [ NL.; Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, black + -oma. ] (Med.) (a) A tumor containing dark pigment. Such tumors are usually malignant and often fatal. (b) Development of dark-pigmented tumors. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black + &unr_; to flow. ] (Bot.) An East Indian genus of large trees. Melanorrhœa usitatissima is the lignum-vitae of Pegu (in Burma), and yields a valuable black varnish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖[ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a growing black, fr. me`las, me`lanos, black. ] (Med.) The morbid deposition of black matter, often of a malignant character, causing pigmented tumors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black + spe`rma 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. [1913 Webster]

a. Melanistic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. me`las, me`lanos, 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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Min.) A hydrous sulphate of iron of a green color and vitreous luster; iron vitriol. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. melanurus, fr. Gr. me`las, me`lanos, black + 'oura` tail. ] (Zool.) A small fish of the Mediterranean; a gilthead. See Gilthead (a). [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; bare + &unr_;, &unr_;, black. ] (Min.) A hydrous oxide of manganese, occurring in smooth, botryoidal forms, and massive, and having an iron-black or steel-gray color. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. stilpno`s shining + me`las, -anos, black. ] (Min.) A black or greenish black mineral occurring in foliated flates, also in velvety bronze-colored incrustations. It is a hydrous silicate of iron and alumina. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. xantho- + Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, black. ] (Ethnol.) Of or pertaining to the lighter division of the Melanochroi, or those races having an olive or yellow complexion and black hair. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]