| amphibious | 1. Having the ability to live both on land and in water, as frogs, crocodiles, beavers, and some plants. 2. Pertaining to, adapted for, or connected with, both land and water. "The amphibious character of the Greeks was already determined: they were to be lords of land and sea." (Hare) 3. Of a mixed nature; partaking of two natures. "Not in free and common socage, but in this amphibious subordinate class of villein socage." (Blackstone) Origin: Gr. Living a double life, i. E, both on land in water; + life. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| amphiblastic | <biology> Segmenting unequally; said of telolecithal ova with complete segmentation. Origin: Gr. + tending to sprout. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| amphibole | <chemical> A common mineral embracing many varieties varying in colour and in composition. It occurs in monoclinic crystals; also massive, generally with fibrous or columnar structure. The colour varies from white to gray, green, brown, and black. It is a silicate of magnesium and calcium, with usually aluminium and iron. Some common varieties are tremolite, actinolite, asbestus, edenite, hornblende (the last name being also used as a general term for the whole species). Amphibole is a constituent of many crystalline rocks, as syenite, diorite, most varieties of trachyte, etc. See Hornblende. Origin: Gr. Doubtful, equivocal, fr. To throw round, to doubt: cf. F. Amphibole. Hauy so named the genus from the great variety of colour and composition assumed by the mineral. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| amphibolic | <biochemistry> Description of a pathway that functions not only to catabolise, but also to provide precursors for anabolic pathways (18 Nov 1997) |
| amphibolic fistula | A complete anal fistula opening both externally and internally. (05 Mar 2000) |
| amphibology | <study> A phrase, discourse, or proposition, susceptible of two interpretations; and hence, of uncertain meaning. It differs from equivocation, which arises from the twofold sense of a single term. Origin: L. Amphibologia, Gr.ambiguous: cf. F. Amphibologie. (04 Mar 1998) |
| amphiboly | Ambiguous discourse; amphibology. "If it oracle contrary to our interest or humor, we will create an amphiboly, a double meaning where there is none." (Whitlock) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| amphicarpous | <botany> Producing fruit of two kinds, either as to form or time of ripening. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| amphicelous | Concave at each end, as the body of a vertebra of a fish. Origin: amphi-+ G. Koilos, hollow (05 Mar 2000) |
| amphicentric | Centreing at both ends, said of a rete mirabile that begins by the vessel breaking up into a number of branches and ends by the branches joining again to form the same vessel. Origin: amphi-+ G. Kentron, centre (05 Mar 2000) |
| amphichroic | <chemistry> Exhibiting or producing two colours, as substances which in the colour test may change red litmus to blue and blue litmus to red. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| amphichromatic | Having the property of exhibiting either of two colours; e.g., litmus, an amphichromatic pigment which is red in acids and blue in alkalis. Synonym: amphichroic. Origin: amphi-+ G. Chroma, colour (05 Mar 2000) |
| amphiclous | <zoology> Having both ends concave; biconcave; said of vertebrae. Origin: Gr. Hollowed all round. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| amphicyte | One of the cells located around the bodies of the cerebrospinal and sympathetic ganglionic neurons. Synonym: capsule cell. Origin: amphi-+ G. Kytos, cell (05 Mar 2000) |
| amphid | <chemistry> A salt of the class formed by the combination of an acid and a base, or by the union of two oxides, two sulphides, selenides, or tellurides, as distinguished from a haloid compound. Origin: Gr. Both: cf. F. Amphide. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |