| skeleton appendiculare | <anatomy> The bony structure that makes up the shoulder girdle, upper extremity, pelvis and lower extremities. (10 Jan 1998) |
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| skeleton axiale | Articulated bones of head and vertebral column, i.e., head and trunk, as opposed to the appendicular skeleton, the articulated bones of the upper and lower limbs. Synonym: skeleton axiale. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeleton hand | Extension of fingers with atrophy of tissues; occurs in progressive muscular atrophy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeleton of free inferior limb | The bones of the lower limb except the hip bones, i.e., all lower limb bones including and distal to the femur. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeleton of free superior limb | The bones of the upper limb except the scapula and clavicle, i.e., all upper limb bones including and distal to the humerus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeleton of heart | A complex framework of dense collagen forming four fibrous rings (annuli fibrosi), which surround the ostia of the valves, a right and left fibrous trigone, formed by connecting the rings, and the membranous portions of the interatrial and interventricular septa; it is found in association with the base of the ventricles, i.e., at the level of the coronary sulcus; its functions include: 1) contributing reinforcement of the valvular ostia while providing attachment for the leaflets and cusps of the valves; 2) providing origin and insertion for the myocardium; and 3) serving as a sort of electrical "insulator," separating the electrically conducted impulses of the atria and ventricles and providing passage for the common atrioventricular bundle of conductive tissue through the right fibrous trigone and membranous interventricular septum. Synonym: cardiac fibrous skeleton, cardiac skeleton, skeleton of heart. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeleton thoracicus | An alternate term for thoracic cage. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeletonize | To prepare a skeleton of; also, to reduce, as a leaf, to its skeleton. Origin: Skeletonised; Skeletonizing. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| skeletonizer | <zoology> Any small moth whose larva eats the parenchyma of leaves, leaving the skeleton; as, the apple-leaf skeletonizer. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Skene's glands | Numerous mucous glands in the wall of the female urethra. Synonym: glandulae urethrales femininae, Guerin's glands, paraurethral glands, Skene's glands. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Skene's tubules | The embryonic urethral glands which are the female homologue of the prostate. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Skene, Alexander | <person> U.S. Gynecologist, 1838-1900. See: Skene's glands, Skene's tubules, ducts of Skene's glands. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeneitis | Inflammation of Skene's glands. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeneoscope | <instrument> A form of endoscope for inspecting Skene's glands. (05 Mar 2000) |
| skeptic | 1. One who is yet undecided as to what is true; one who is looking or inquiring for what is true; an inquirer after facts or reasons. 2. <psychology> A doubter as to whether any fact or truth can be certainly known; a universal doubter; a Pyrrhonist; hence, in modern usage, occasionally, a person who questions whether any truth or fact can be established on philosophical grounds; sometimes, a critical inquirer, in opposition to a dogmatist. "All this criticism [of Hume] proceeds upon the erroneous hypothesis that he was a dogmatist. He was a skeptic; that is, he accepted the principles asserted by the prevailing dogmatism: and only showed that such and such conclusions were, on these principles, inevitable." (Sir W. Hamilton) 3. A person who doubts the existence and perfections of God, or the truth of revelation; one who disbelieves the divine origin of the Christian religion. "Suffer not your faith to be shaken by the sophistries of skeptics." (S. Clarke) This word and its derivatives are often written with c instead of k in the first syllable, sceptic, sceptical, scepticism, etc. Dr. Johnson, struck with the extraordinary irregularity of giving c its hard sound before e, altered the spelling, and his example has been followed by most of the lexicographers who have succeeded him; yet the prevalent practice among English writers and printers is in favor of the other mode. In the United States this practice is reversed, a large and increasing majority of educated persons preferring the orthography which is most in accordance with etymology and analogy. Synonym: Infidel, unbeliever, doubter. See Infidel. Origin: Gr. Skeptikos thoughtful, reflective, fr. Skeptesqai to look carefully or about, to view, consider: cf. L. Scepticus, F. Sceptique. See Scope Alternative forms: sceptic. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |