hymen

n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;. ] 1. (Class Myth.) A fabulous deity; according to some, the son of Apollo and Urania, according to others, of Bacchus and Venus. He was the god of marriage, and presided over nuptial solemnities. [ 1913 Webster ]

Till Hymen brought his love-delighted hour,
There dwelt no joy in Eden's rosy bower. Campbell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Marriage; union as if by marriage. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hymen of element and race. Emerson.

adj. Same as hymeneal. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. A marriage song. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. hymeneius, a., also Hymenaeus, n., Hymen, Gr. &unr_; the wedding song, also &unr_; Hymen: cf. F. hyménéal, hyménéen. ] Of or pertaining to marriage; as, hymeneal rites. Pope.

‖n.; pl. L. Hymenia E. Hymeniums [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a membrane. ] (Bot.) The spore-bearing surface of certain fungi, as that on the gills of a mushroom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An order of fungi sometimes placed in subclass Homobasidiomycetes.
Syn. -- order Hymenogastrales. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; a membrane + root of gi`gnesqai to be born. ] The production of artificial membranes by contact of two fluids, as albumin and fat, by which the globules of the latter are surrounded by a thin film of the former. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a membrane + &unr_;, &unr_;, a mushroom. ] (Bot.) One of the great divisions of fungi, containing those species in which the hymenium is completely exposed. M. J. Berkley. [ 1913 Webster ]