chondro

n. [ Gr. cho`ndros a grain (of wheat or spelt), cartilage. ] (Min.) A fluosilicate of magnesia and iron, yellow to red in color, often occurring in granular form in a crystalline limestone. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. cho`ndros cartilage + NL. ganoidei. See Ganoid. ] (Zool.) An order of ganoid fishes, including the sturgeons; -- so called on account of their cartilaginous skeleton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. cho`ndros cartilage + -gen. ] (Physiol. Chem.) Same as Chondrigen. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. cho`ndros cartilage + genesis. ] (Physiol.) The development of cartilage. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. cho`ndros cartilage + -oid. ] Resembling cartilage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. cho`ndros cartilage. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A colorless, amorphous, mucopolysaccharide having N-acetyl chondrosine as the repeating unit with one sulfate group per disaccharide. Typical preparations have a molecular weight of about 50, 000. Preparations are sold over-the-counter, often referred to as chondroitin, with the putative ability to relieve pain in joints and assist joint cartilage growth or regeneration; such claims are, as of 2001, yet unproven. [ PJC ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; cartilage + -logy: cf. F. chondrologie. ] (Anat.) The science which treats of cartilages. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Chondromata [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; cartilage + -oma. ] A cartilaginous tumor or growth. [ 1913 Webster ]