%pith%

n. 1. any of several extinct humanlike small-brained bipedal primates of the genus Australopithecus; they existed from 1 to 4 million years ago. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to the genus Australopithecus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a natural family of Old World monkeys including the guenon, baboon, colobus monkey, langur, macaque, mandrill, mangabey, patas, and proboscis monkey.
Syn. -- family Cercopithecidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. type genus of the Cercopithecidae, consisting of one genus of guenons.
Syn. -- genus Cercopithecus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Belonging to, or designed for, an epithalamium. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Epithalamiums L. Epithalamia [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_; , orig. an adj., nuptial; 'epi` upon, at + &unr_; bride chamber. ] A nuptial song, or poem in honor of the bride and bridegroom. [ 1913 Webster ]

The kind of poem which was called epithalamium . . . sung when the bride was led into her chamber. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Epithalamies Epithalamium. [ R. ] Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'epi` upon + &unr_; a case, box, fr. &unr_; to place. ] (Zoöl.) A continuous and, usually, structureless layer which covers more or less of the exterior of many corals. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to epithelium; as, epithelial cells; epithelial cancer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Epithelium + -oid. ] (Anat.) Like epithelium; as, epithelioid cells. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Epithelium, and -oma. ] (Med.) A malignant growth containing epithelial cells; -- called also epithelial cancer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. E. Epitheliums L. Epithelia [ NL., fr. Gr. 'epi` upon + &unr_; nipple. ] (Anat.) The superficial layer of cells lining the alimentary canal and all its appendages, all glands and their ducts, blood vessels and lymphatics, serous cavities, etc. It often includes the epidermis (i. e., keratin-producing epithelial cells), and it is sometimes restricted to the alimentary canal, the glands and their appendages, -- the term endothelium being applied to the lining membrane of the blood vessels, lymphatics, and serous cavities. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Epithelioid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. epithema, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to lay or put on: cf. F. épithème. See Epithet. ] (Med.) Any external topical application to the body, except ointments and plasters, as a poultice, lotion, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., from Gr. 'epi` upon + &unr_; a case, box, fr. &unr_; to place. ] (Zoöl.) A horny excrescence upon the beak of birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a putting on; 'epi` upon + &unr_; to place. ] The addition of a letter at the end of a word, without changing its sense; as, numb for num, whilst for whiles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. epitheton, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; added, fr. &unr_; to add; 'epi` upon, to + &unr_; to put, place: cf. F. épithète. See Do. ] 1. An adjective expressing some quality, attribute, or relation, that is properly or specially appropriate to a person or thing; as, a just man; a verdant lawn. [ 1913 Webster ]

A prince [ Henry III. ] to whom the epithet “worthless” seems best applicable. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Term; expression; phrase. “Stuffed with epithets of war.” Shak.

Syn. -- Epithet, Title. The name epithet was formerly extended to nouns which give a title or describe character (as the “epithet of liar”), but is now confined wholly to adjectives. Some rhetoricians, as Whately, restrict it still further, considering the term epithet as belonging only to a limited class of adjectives, viz., those which add nothing to the sense of their noun, but simply hold forth some quality necessarily implied therein; as, the bright sun, the lofty heavens, etc. But this restriction does not prevail in general literature. Epithet is sometimes confounded with application, which is always a noun or its equivalent. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To describe by an epithet. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Never was a town better epitheted. Sir H. Wotton.

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_; added. ] Pertaining to, or abounding with, epithets. “In epithetic measured prose.” Lloyd. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; impostor. ] A lazy, worthless fellow; a vagrant. [ Obs. ] Mason. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Epithumetical. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to long for, lust after; 'epi` + qymo`s soul, heart, desire. ] Pertaining to sexual desire; sensual. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. gale`h a weasel + pi`qhkos an ape. ] (Zool.) A genus of flying Insectivora, formerly called flying lemurs. See Colugo.

prop. n. A genus of extinct primates having powerful chewing muscles along with large molars and small incisors; its fossils were found in Maboko in Kenya.
Syn. -- genus Kenyapithecus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Myo- + epithelial. ] 1. (Biol.) Derived from epithelial cells and destined to become a part of the muscular system; -- applied to structural elements in certain embryonic forms. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Having the characteristics of both muscle and epithelium; as, the myoepithelial cells of the hydra. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Physiol.) To destroy the central nervous system of (an animal, as a frog), as by passing a stout wire or needle up and down the vertebral canal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. pi&unr_;a; akin to D. pit pith, kernel, LG. peddik. Cf. Pit a kernel. ] 1. (Bot.) The soft spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees, especially those of the dicotyledonous or exogenous classes. It consists of cellular tissue. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) (Zool.) The spongy interior substance of a feather. (b) (Anat.) The spinal cord; the marrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence: The which contains the strength of life; the vital or essential part; concentrated force; vigor; strength; importance; as, the speech lacked pith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Enterprises of great pith and moment. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pith paper. Same as Rice paper, under Rice. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖prop. n. [ NL.; Gr. pi`qhkos ape + 'a`nqrwpos man. ] 1. A hypothetical genus of primates intermediate between man and the anthropoid apes. Haeckel. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A genus consisting of an extinct primate (Pithecanthropus erectus) apparently intermediate between man and the existing anthropoid apes, known from bones first found in Java (hence called Java man) in 1891-92, and other bones found later. The species was renamed Homo erectus around 1960. The Javan bones are believed to be from 1.6 to 1.9 million years old, and include a thigh bone of the human type, two molar teeth intermediate between those of man and the anthropoids, and the calvaria of the skull, indicating a brain capacity of about 900 cubic centimeters, and resembling in form that of the Neanderthal man. Additional specimens of what are considerd as variants of the species have been found in China, Africa, and Europe. Homo erectus is currently believed to have evolved in Africa from Homo habilis, the first member of the genus Homo. Anatomically and physiologically, Homo erectus resembles contemporary humans except for having a stouter bone structure. Also [ pl. -thropi , an animal of this genus. -- Pith`e*can"thrope n. -- Pith`e*can"thro*poid a. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. pi`qhkos an ape. ] (Zool.) A division of mammals including the apes and monkeys. Sometimes used in the sense of Primates. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; an ape + -oid. ] (Zool.) 1. Of or pertaining to the genus Pithecia, or subfamily Pithecinæ, which includes the saki, ouakari, and other allied South American monkeys. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to the anthropoid apes in particular, or to the higher apes of the Old World, collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of pith. [ R. ] W. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a pithy manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

a. Destitute of pith, or of strength; feeble. Dryden. “Pithless argumentation.” Glandstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pithy; robust. [ R. ] “Pithsome health and vigor.” R. D. Blackmore. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Pithier superl. Pithiest. ] 1. Consisting wholly, or in part, of pith; abounding in pith; as, a pithy stem; a pithy fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having nervous energy; forceful; cogent. [ 1913 Webster ]

This pithy speech prevailed, and all agreed. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all these Goodman Fact was very short, but pithy. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pithy gall (Zool.), a large, rough, furrowed, oblong gall, formed on blackberry canes by a small gallfly (Diastrophus nebulosus). [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; before, for + &unr_; ape. ] (Zool.) A genus including the long-tailed, or diadem, indris. See Indris. [ 1913 Webster ]