| staphylolysin | 1. A haemolysin elaborated by a staphylococcus. 2. An antibody causing lysis of staphylococci. Synonym: staphylococcolysin. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| staphyloma | <clinical sign, ophthalmology> A protrusion of any part of the globe of the eye; as, a staphyloma of the cornea. Origin: L, fr. Gr, fr. A bunch of grapes. (06 Mar 1998) |
| staphylomatous | <medicine> Of or pertaining to staphyloma; affected with staphyloma. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| staphylopharyngorrhaphy | Surgical repair of defects in the uvula or soft palate and the pharynx. Synonym: palatopharyngorrhaphy. Origin: staphylo-+ pharynx + G. Rhaphe, suture (05 Mar 2000) |
| staphyloplasty | <surgery> The operation for restoring or replacing the soft palate when it has been lost. Staphyloplas"tic. Origin: Gr. A bunch of grapes, also, the uvula when swollen at the lower end + -plasty. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| staphyloplegia | Paralysis of the muscles of the soft palate. Synonym: staphyloplegia. Origin: palato-+ G. Plege, stroke (05 Mar 2000) |
| staphyloptosis | Synonym: uvuloptosis. Origin: staphylo-+ G. Ptosis, a falling (05 Mar 2000) |
| staphylorrhaphy | Synonym: palatorrhaphy. Origin: staphylo-+ G. Rhaphe, suture (05 Mar 2000) |
| staphylotomy | <surgery> The operation of removing a staphyloma by cutting. Origin: Gr. The uvula when swollen + to cut. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| staphylotoxin | The toxin elaborated by any species of Staphylococcus. See: staphylohemolysin. Origin: staphylo-+ G. Toxikon, poison (05 Mar 2000) |
| staple | 1. A settled mart; an emporium; a city or town to which merchants brought commodities for sale or exportation in bulk; a place for wholesale traffic. "The customs of Alexandria were very great, it having been the staple of the Indian trade." (Arbuthnot) "For the increase of trade and the encouragement of the worthy burgesses of Woodstock, her majesty was minded to erect the town into a staple for wool." (Sir W. Scott) In England, formerly, the king's staple was established in certain ports or towns, and certain goods could not be exported without being first brought to these places to be rated and charged with the duty payable of the king or the public. The principal commodities on which customs were lived were wool, skins, and leather; and these were originally the staple commodities. 2. Hence: Place of supply; source; fountain head. "Whitehall naturally became the chief staple of news. Whenever there was a rumor that any thing important had happened or was about to happen, people hastened thither to obtain intelligence from the fountain head." (Macaulay) 3. The principal commodity of traffic in a market; a principal commodity or production of a country or district; as, wheat, maize, and cotton are great staples of the United States. "We should now say, Cotton is the great staple, that is, the established merchandize, of Manchester." (Trench) 4. The principal constituent in anything; chief item. 5. Unmanufactured material; raw material. 6. The fibre of wool, cotton, flax, or the like; as, a coarse staple; a fine staple; a long or short staple. 7. A loop of iron, or a bar or wire, bent and formed with two points to be driven into wood, to hold a hook, pin, or the like. 8. <chemical> A shaft, smaller and shorter than the principal one, joining different levels. A small pit. 9. A district granted to an abbey. Origin: AS. Stapul, stapol, stapel, a step, a prop, post, table, fr. Stapan to step, go, raise; akin to D. Stapel a pile, stocks, emporium, G. Stapela heap, mart, stake, staffel step of a ladder, Sw. Stapel, Dan. Stabel, and E. Step cf. OF. Estaple a mart, F. Etape. See Step. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| stapling | Use of a stapling device that unites two tissues, such as the two ends of bowel, by applying a row or circle of staples. (05 Mar 2000) |
| star | To set or adorn with stars, or bright, radiating bodies; to bespangle; as, a robe starred with gems. "A sable curtain starred with gold." Origin: Starred; Starring. 1. One of the innumerable luminous bodies seen in the heavens; any heavenly body other than the sun, moon, comets, and nebulae. "His eyen twinkled in his head aright, As do the stars in the frosty night." (Chaucer) The stars are distinguished as planets, and fixed stars. See Planet, Fixed stars under Fixed, and Magnitude of a star under Magnitude. 2. The polestar; the north star. 3. <astronomy> A planet supposed to influence one's destiny; (usually pl) a configuration of the planets, supposed to influence fortune. "O malignant and ill-brooding stars." (Shak) "Blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury." (Addison) 4. That which resembles the figure of a star, as an ornament worn on the breast to indicate rank or honor. "On whom . . . Lavish Honor showered all her stars." (Tennyson) 5. Specifically, a radiated mark in writing or printing; an asterisk [thus, ]; used as a reference to a note, or to fill a blank where something is omitted, etc. 6. <chemistry> A composition of combustible matter used in the heading of rockets, in mines, etc, which, exploding of a air, presents a starlike appearance. 7. A person of brilliant and attractive qualities, especially on public occasions, as a distinguished orator, a leading theatrical performer, etc. Star is used in the formation of compound words generally or obvious signification: as, star-aspiring, star-bespangled, star-bestudded, star-blasting, star-bright, star-crowned, star-directed, star-eyed, star-headed, star-paved, star-roofed; star-sprinkled, star-wreathed. Blazing star, Double star, Multiple star, Shooting star, etc. See Blazing, Double, etc. <astronomy> Nebulous star, a small well-defined circular nebula, having a bright nucleus at its center like a star. <botany> Star anise, a polygon whose sides cut each other so as to form a star-shaped figure. Stars and Stripes, a popular name for the flag of the United States, which consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternately red and white, and a union having, in a blue field, white stars to represent the several States, one for each. "With the old flag, the true American flag, the Eagle, and the Stars and Stripes, waving over the chamber in which we sit." (D. Webster) Star showers. See Shooting star, under Shooting. <botany> Star thistle, an aquatic plant (Schollera graminea) with small yellow starlike blossoms. Origin: OE. Sterre, AS. Steorra; akin to OFries. Stera, OS. Sterro, D. Ster, OHG. Sterno, sterro, G. Stern, Icel. Stjarna, Sw. Stjerna, Dan. Stierne, Goth. Stairno, Armor. & Corn. Stern, L. Stella, Gr, Skr. Star; perhaps from a root meaning, to seater, Skr. St, L. Sternere (cf. Stratum), and originally applied to the stars as beingstrewn over the sky, or as beingscatterers or spreaders of light. 296. Cf. Aster, Asteroid, Constellation, Disaster, Stellar. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| star-read | Doctrine or knowledge of the stars; star lore; astrology; astronomy. "Which in star-read were wont have best insight." (Spenser) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| starch | <biochemistry> Storage carbohydrate of plants, consisting of amylose (a linear _(1-4) glucan) and amylopectin (an _(1-4) glucan with _(1-6) branch points). Present as starch grains in plastids, especially in amyloplasts and chloroplasts. (18 Nov 1997) |