stap

‖n. [ NL. So named after John Bodaeus a Stapel, a physician of Amsterdam. ] (Bot.) An extensive and curious genus of African plants of the natural order Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed family). They are succulent plants without leaves, frequently covered with dark tubercles giving them a very grotesque appearance. The odor of the blossoms is like that of carrion. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ LL., a stirrup. ] (Anat.) The innermost of the ossicles of the ear; the stirrup, or stirrup bone; -- so called from its form. See Illust. of Ear. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. stafy`linos botryoidal, from stafylh` a bunch of grapes. ] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the uvula or the palate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. stafyli^nos a kind of insect. ] (Zool.) Any rove beetle. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. stafy`lwma, from stafylh` a bunch of grapes. ] (Med.) A protrusion of any part of the globe of the eye; as, a staphyloma of the cornea. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Med.) Of or pertaining to staphyloma; affected with staphyloma. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; a bunch of grapes, also, the uvula when swollen at the lower end + -plasty. ] (Surg.) The operation for restoring or replacing the soft palate when it has been lost. Dunglison. -- Staph`y*lo*plas"tic a. [1913 Webster]

{ } n. [ Gr. stafylh` the uvula when swollen + "ra`ptein to sew: cf. F. staphylorraphie.] (Surg.) The operation of uniting a cleft palate, consisting in paring and bringing together the edges of the cleft. -- Staph`y*lo*raph"ic Staph`y*lor*rhaph"ic a. [1913 Webster]