*opt*

a. [ Gr. &unr_; spine + &unr_; wing. ] 1. (Zool.) Spiny-winged. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Acanthopterygious. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Belonging to the order of fishes having spinose fins, as the perch. -- n. A spiny-finned fish. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; thorn + &unr_; fin, dim. fr. &unr_; wing. ] (Zool.) An order of fishes having some of the rays of the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins unarticulated and spinelike, as the perch. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having fins in which the rays are hard and spinelike; spiny-finned. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a genus of terrestrial ferns of tropical Asia and Africa.
Syn. -- genus Actiniopteris. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Astron.) an optical system used in some telescopes since the 1980's which rapidly changes the shape of the primary reflecting mirror to adjust for distortions of light which are caused by atmospheric turbulence. By reducing the distortions caused by the atmosphere, telescopes fitted with such optics can achieve a higher resolving power than normal telescopes with static mirrors. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Adopted; p. pr. & vb. n. Adopting. ] [ L. adoptare; ad + optare to choose, desire: cf. F. adopter. See Option. ] 1. To take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.; esp. to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one's own child. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally; to select and take or approve; as, to adopt the view or policy of another; these resolutions were adopted. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being adopted. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Taken by adoption; taken up as one's own; as, an adopted son, citizen, country, word. -- A*dopt"ed*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. One who adopts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) A receiver, with two necks, opposite to each other, one of which admits the neck of a retort, and the other is joined to another receiver. It is used in distillations, to give more space to elastic vapors, to increase the length of the neck of a retort, or to unite two vessels whose openings have different diameters. [ Written also adapter. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. adoptio, allied to adoptare to adopt: cf. F. adoption. ] 1. The act of adopting, or state of being adopted; voluntary acceptance of a child of other parents to be the same as one's own child. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Admission to a more intimate relation; reception; as, the adoption of persons into hospitals or monasteries, or of one society into another. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The choosing and making that to be one's own which originally was not so; acceptance; as, the adoption of opinions. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect which maintained that Christ was the Son of God not by nature but by adoption. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Adopted. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. adoptivus: cf. F. adoptif. ] Pertaining to adoption; made or acquired by adoption; fitted to adopt; as, an adoptive father, an child; an adoptive language. -- A*dopt"ive*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. 1 a highly variable species (Angiopteris evecta) of very large primitive ferns of the Pacific tropical areas with high rainfall.
Syn. -- giant fern [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 the smallest moa (Anomalopteryx oweni); it is a slender moa about the size of a large turkey.
Syn. -- Anomalopteryx oweni. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ Gr. 'archai^os ancient + pte`ryx wing. ] (Paleon.) A fossil bird, of the Jurassic period, remarkable for having a long tapering tail of many vertebræ with feathers along each side, and jaws armed with teeth, with other reptilian characteristics. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an extinct primitive toothed bird (Archaeopteryx lithographica) of the Upper Jurassic having a long feathered tail and hollow bones; usually considered the most primitive of all known birds. Same as archaeopteryx.
Syn. -- archaeopteryx. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } a. [ Gr. a'ytoptiko`s: cf. F. autoptique. ] Seen with one's own eyes; belonging to, or connected with, personal observation; as, autoptic testimony or experience. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By means of ocular view, or one's own observation. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the type genus of the Balaenopteridae.
Syn. -- genus Balaenoptera. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. rorquals; blue whales.
Syn. -- family Balaenopteridae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Gr. balei^n to throw + stereopticon. ] See Projector, below. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } a. [ Pref. cata + dioptric: cf. F. catadioptrique. ] (Physics) Pertaining to, produced by, or involving, both the reflection and refraction of light; as, a catadioptric light. Hutton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The science which treats of catadioptric phenomena, or of the used of catadioptric instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;. See Catopter. ] Of or pertaining to catoptrics; produced by reflection. [ 1913 Webster ]

Catoptric light, a light in which the rays are concentrated by reflectors into a beam visible at a distance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. catoptrique. See Catropric. ] (Physics) That part of optics which explains the properties and phenomena of reflected light, and particularly that which is reflected from mirrors or polished bodies; -- formerly called anacamptics. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; mirror + -mancy. See Catopter. ] (Antiq.) A species of divination, which was performed by letting down a mirror into water, for a sick person to look at his face in it. If his countenance appeared distorted and ghastly, it was an ill omen; if fresh and healthy, it was favorable. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Gr. &unr_; mirror, fr. &unr_; visible. ] A reflecting optical glass or instrument; a mirror. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Obs. ] See Catopter. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. kefalh` head + ptero`n wing. ] (Zool.) One of the generic names of the gigantic ray (Manta birostris) of the family Mobulidae, known as devilfish, sea devil, manta and manta ray. It is common on the coasts of South Carolina, Florida, and farther south, and is sometimes found as far north as New York Bay. Some of them grow to enormous size, becoming twenty feet of more across the body, and weighing more than a ton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) a genus of water ferns.
Syn. -- genus Ceratopteris. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Chiroptera; -- an older spelling of chiropter. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

‖prop. n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. chei`r hand + ptero`n wing. ] (Zool.) An earlier spelling for Chiroptera, an order of Mammalia, including the bats, having four toes of each of the anterior limbs elongated and connected by a web, so that they can be used like wings in flying. See Chiroptera and Bat. [ archaic ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. (Zool.) chiropterous; belonging to the Chiroptera, or Bat family. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Cheiropterygia [ NL., fr. Gr. chei`r hand + pte`ryx, pte`rygos wing, fin. ] (Anat.) The typical pentadactyloid limb of the higher vertebrates. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See chiroptera. ] any mammal belonging to the order chiroptera; a bat.
Syn. -- chiropteran; bat. [ PJC ]

n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. chei`r hand + ptero`n wing. ] (Zool.) an ancient order of mammalia dating to the early Eocene, including the bats. They are nocturnal mouselike mammals having four toes of each of the anterior limbs elongated and connected by a web, so that they form membranous wings that can be used in flying. They also have anatomical adaptations, including large ears, for echolocation, by which they navigate and in some cases find insects. The order includes the suborders Megachiroptera (the fruit bats) and Microchiroptera (insectivorous bats). See Bat. Previously spelled cheiroptera. [ archaic ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. same as chiropter.
Syn. -- chiropter; bat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate.
Syn. -- bat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Cf. F. chondropterygien. ] Having a cartilaginous skeleton. -- n. One of the Chondropterygii. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; cartilage + &unr_;, &unr_;, wing, fin. ] (Zool.) A group of fishes, characterized by cartilaginous fins and skeleton. It includes both ganoids (sturgeons, etc.) and selachians (sharks), but is now often restricted to the latter. [ Written also Chondropterygia. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; sheath-winged; &unr_; sheath + &unr_; wing. ] (Zool.) An order of insects having the anterior pair of wings (elytra) hard and horny, and serving as coverings for the posterior pair, which are membranous, and folded transversely under the others when not in use. The mouth parts form two pairs of jaws (mandibles and maxillæ) adapted for chewing. Most of the Coleoptera are known as beetles and weevils. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the order of Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One versed in the study of the Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ a. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] (Zool.) Having wings covered with a case or sheath; belonging to the Coleoptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Cooptate. Cf. F. coopter. ] To choose or elect in concert with another. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Each of the hundred was to coopt three others. Jowett (Thucyd.). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To choose or elect as a colleague or fellow member of a group; as, The church members co-opted individuals from similar backgrounds to replenish the congregation. [ PJC + WordNet 1.5 ]

3. To assimilate (a smaller group) into a larger group. [ PJC ]

4. To persuade an opponent to join one's own side. [ PJC ]

5. To appoint summarily (with or without the appointee's consent). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

6. To appropriate (something rightly belonging to another) as one's own; to preempt; as, to co-opt someone's name. [ PJC ]